We who with songs beguile your pilgrimage / And swear that Beauty lives though lilies die, / We Poets of the proud old lineage / Who sing to find your hearts, we know not why ... (James Elroy Flecker)

7.7.21

Human Arrogance

 Human Arrogance


We thought ourselves the lords of all creation: smart, self-conscious, with our opposable thumbs, our verbal language, and standing upright, walking on two legs.


the only ones

like us – we perceive as

the only ones


It might have been all right if we’d stayed close enough to the natural world, continuing to be custodian of the other living things, understanding that we need them, and preserving the balance which we all need. Instead, more and more, we exploited or ignored. We got away with it (so it seemed). We became complacent. 


sleepy afternoon –

droning tractor breaks the peace

then merges with it


Now, if those who see clearly speak loud, in numbers, could it be enough? Or much too late? We can’t know – even if we think we know too well how it will go … how we’ll all go.


voices crying

in the (lack of)

wilderness


But speak out we must. Silence will accomplish nothing.


into the unknown

going out with a clamour –

or last-minute save?




For Weekly Scribblings #77 at Poets and Storytellers United, I invite people to be inspired by Rob Kistner's line, 'Human arrogance boils over' and his poem about the need to speak up for our environment. This poem.


Having written this, I came across this new article by Caitlin Johnstone which addresses similar issues. Well worth reading in full, but if you don't have time, here is one especially pertinent bit re the social media consequences of speaking out: 


We certainly don’t want to become heartless unfeeling creatures who dismiss the opinions of the crowd like they’re unimportant insects, but also we do need to find a way to continue speaking without having our light dimmed by those who are irresponsible with their inner misery. Near as I can tell, our best option is to become so deeply awake that we can continue to make art and speak out against the powerful even amid the vitriol and vituperation which comes the way of anyone who’s brave enough to shine bright. To become so conscious of our inner dynamics that abuse from strangers doesn’t silence us.


8 comments:

  1. The last haiku sends us into meditation pose
    Happy Wednesday, Rosemary

    much ❤ love

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  2. Sadly humanity is quite irrational in almost everything it does. Perhaps next time I can be a dog or a cat.

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  3. Your ending question (which I paraphrase here) is mine as well: Will we vanish from Earth, or will there be a last-minute reprieve? (But why should there be a reprieve from our stupidity, our arrogance? Shouldn't we simply reap what we have sown?)

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  4. "voices crying
    in the (lack of)
    wilderness"

    I really like this haiku. I can hear the cries filling the emptying woods, hopefully shouting about the best ways to bring back the wild.

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  5. You shine bright, Rosemary. I love the message in your prose / poem.

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  6. the only ones
    like us – we perceive as
    the only ones
    The precipice of devastating human arrogance! Excellent write Rosemary.

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  7. Faster and faster we are reaching the point of being too late. Could science pull our world out of the mess wev'e made? Or neutralize the mess? You've told this well, Rosemary, thank you and Rob for the topic.
    ..

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  8. Wonderful haiku, Rosemary. Kudos to Rob!

    ReplyDelete

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