In 2010 most of you will remember the devastating horror of the Gulf Oil spill. I remember. I was here and I saw the heartbreaking results. And now there is a movie about it. I believe it opens tonight.
I'm sure it will be a good movie, full of action and heart-tearing sadness, but its a "movie". I wonder how much of it will be truth.
In 2010, when this tragedy happened I wrote a free verse poem, and I wrote a story. The story is not only about the oil spill but about other of man's invasions into our nature's beautiful habitat as well. I may post (repost) the story another time soon, but I would like to post my poem here today instead of the regular haiku.
Because it's how I feel.
GENTLY THEY TRAVEL
She glides through
the deepest waters
Her long sleek body
shimmering in the muted light
Winding in and around
the ancient coral - searching
Her keen eyes ever
vigilant
The baby swims beside
her – watching and learning
His body a miniature
duplicate of his mother
Twisting and turning
in perfect unison
Gently they travel
The ancestral spirits
of the reef
Frozen in time
Whisper to them as
they pass
Shhhhhh - go safely
Ahead a
large shadow looms
Mother slows - wary
Baby shrinks to umbra
Seeking protection
under its mother
The shadow moves -
undulating with the water
A deadly danger this
mother has never seen
Just dark water she cannot
recognize as harmful
It moves with the
rhythm of the current
They travel forward -
swimming into the murky shadow
The slime enters
their bodies - infiltrates organs
Feeling it – confused
- mother turns away with baby following
Too late - the damage
is done
It will take time
The baby will grow -
but not flourish
Failing to thrive -
he will suffer
Only to die and wash
up on some lonely shore
And mother – older
and stronger - not understanding
May live to produce
another
From memory teaching it to avoid murky slime
Unknowingly teaching
it to consume oil contaminated fish
And the drilling
continues.
Linked with the haiku of
Thank you Rebecca for the opportunity to vent
here in our wonderful Friday haiku space
How excruciatingly painful, Judie.
ReplyDeletethis is so sad
ReplyDeletemuch love...
I remember too... and your poem is so sad and beautiful. Have a good weekend dear.
ReplyDeleteYes, I feel for each one of nature's gems when the country destroys it ~ lovely and loving expression of your love ~
ReplyDeleteWishing you a Happy Weekend ~ ^_^
So sad, hurts but needs to be said....x
ReplyDeleteSo sad, hurts but needs to be said....x
ReplyDeleteOh Judie So very sad. Humans are destroying our beautiful planet.
ReplyDeleteHeartbreaking. Your poem paints a picture that speeds up the heart. It puts the reader right there, in the middle of the oily coat of death. Poor mother. Poor baby. Poor tomorrow...
ReplyDelete