Love Poem for the Earth

Love Poem for the Earth


Planet, you had me at hello.

It was love at first sight and then some.

The minute I opened my eyes 

on you, gorgeous world, just that glimpse

in my newborn gaze was enough.

Enough, and a feast. As I grew

I found out more and more to love. 

Oh, you expansive, abundant beauty! 

"Infinite variety?" Shakespeare knew

less than he thought. Infinite variety is You.

Do I need to count the ways? The rivers

and meadows, crags and oceans, the trees

and birds and tigers and dolphins and bees?

And the moods! The sunsets and moonrises,

storms and stars and perfect autumns ...

Mind you, the eternal summer's 

a bit much lately. Lovely Earth,

what are you doing to us?       Oh –

we did it to you? No no, not me, I didn't.

It was them, all the others. Don't punish me!

Don't punish us. Let us live and love you.

Tell us it's not too late! You say that love 

speaks louder in actions than words? 

You sound like my Grandma. Well, as for me,

of threescore years and ten, I've had a few more.

Planet mine, ground of my being, 

Earth of my heart, my dear, my delight, 

my long, long love, great light

of my tiny life: seventy summers 

were little room to feast on you –

to drink you in through eyes and ears

nostrils, hands and tongue. And so 

I'll go about the woodlands, and the sands, 

walk on your mountains, bathe in your rivers 

while I can; giving thanks. Giving thanks.

With acknowledgements to William Shakespeare, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, A.E. Housman and Anonymous, for some small borrowings.

Linking to Tuesday Platform 13 February 2018 at "imaginary garden with real toads" (for Valentine's Day on 14th).