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‘Exile’……Planting Trees….  

by Bernie Bell - 08:06 on 11 October 2024

 

‘Exile’…

 

Bartholomew Barker says….

 

“I’m proud to announce that a new poem of mine was just published at MasticadoresUSA. Exile is an astronomical and political piece. It starts, The sun is just the brightest star / and ice freezes hard as prison stone.

My thanks to Barbara Leonhard for accepting this piece.”

 

Here’s the poem….

 

Exile

 

The sun is just the brightest star
and ice freezes hard as prison stone
in distant orbits out past Neptune—
that's where I'll go in exile.
 
I wrote letters to bored politicians,
marched in protests holding pithy signs.
I consumed less, preaching to the choir
but failed to convince the congregation.
 
So banish me to some distant rock
without enough gravity to stand.
I'll cling to rough pebbles
and watch the stars who shed no tears.
 
Never again to see the moldy green or livid blue
of this fevered planet as it burns off our infection.

Copyright © 2024 Bartholomew Barker
All Rights Reserved

 

And my response….

 

'As it burns off our infection...' That's sometimes how I see it/us - as an infection on the face of the Earth, which the earth is trying to cleanse itself of. That's when I'm letting the Gremlins get to me - other times - 'I think to myself, what a wonderful world' - it is, you know - and people, too - can be most excellent when they let themselves be.

 

 

Planting Trees….

 

In the garden, the Swedish Whitebeam was laden with berries on the 25th of September...

 

 

Harsh weather, and on the 10th October it’s nearly stripped….

 

 

But it’s there – providing food for the birds.

 

I was having an exchange with a friend about how many trees are being needlessly cut down….as follows…

 

Me…

 

Anyone who's got the space, could plant some/one. My Lord - that's reminded me of the campaign slogan.... 'Plant a tree in '73 - plant some more in '74'. They'll be big trees now - with things living in them.”

 

Pete….

 

 “All those years ago and we are still cutting down more than we plant.”

 

Me..

 

“They are - we're not! We have a Sycamore grown from a key from Cottascarth - ready to go into one of the tree areas in our garden, any time now...

 

http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=15976

 

Six of them went to Andrew Appleby to plant at the Hall of Clestrain…

 

http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=16885

 

Could be said to be a drop in the ocean – but (WARNING – smart arsery ahead) an ocean is made of drops. I did warn you!”

 

Pete…

 

“As a race we are as individuals we may not be.

Steam is invisible too..”

 

Just some thoughts.


https://theorkneynews.scot/2018/03/19/the-triumph-of-optimism-over-experience-or-attempting-to-grow-trees-in-orkney/

 

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