The earth is in our hands…every thought we have and every action we take matters
because the rivers skies and seas
are not toys but living see?
In this darkly playful poem, written after “Animal Fair,”a beloved song that my mother used to sing to me when I was a child, I explore topics like global warming; deforestation; plastic & chemical pollution, and the dire need for humans to re-connect with the outdoors and with our Mother.
It is a call to a multitude of actions, actions that must be taken if our planet and our species are to survive.
vote for sun and wind not oil
please don’t let our planet spoil
write to congress sound the alarms
help! save the bees and bears and farms
Don’t let the rhyming fool you. Saving the earth and ourselves is serious business.
Together, we can… Read every day is earth day in its entirety here.
images: used with permission of the artist via creative commons with some rights reserved unless otherwise noted. 1) “seed of earth” by Sanjhowkokaji Chihiro 2) “bee on a cosmos flower” by ksblack99 (public domain)
d. ellis phelps is the author of this poem, this blog and of the novel, Making Room for George (Moon Shadow Sanctuary Press, 2016)
formidable woman sanctuary 
I went to the animal fair
The birds and the bees were there
The big baboon by the light of the moon
Was combing the elephant’s hair
The monkey he got drunk
And sat on the elephant’s trunk
The elephant sneezed and fell on his knees
And that was the end of the monk…
(It still echoes from my childhood, too. And, yes, the playful mood in no way detracts from the gravity/urgency of the message… Thanks for this.🐝🐦🐒🐘)
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An important poem and wish more people would vote for protecting this precious planet. I love the rhymes, serious tone but lively and engaging.
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