Welcomes writers at all levels in their skills development, from beginners to published writers
We share our writing among friends enjoying mutual support and encouragement

Irish Draught Horse Mends The Planet

We tried to divert the course of nature

thinking ourselves progressive, we dredged rivers,

drained bottomland,  loughs, bogs, dug out rushes,

furze and destroyed noxious ragwort.

We uprooted inconveniently growing trees, hedgerows,

superstitiously avoiding fairy trees and forts

foreseeing fomentation of supernatural fury.

No such divination was applied to Mother Nature,

thinking we only had to will stronger than fate to change fate.

Mother Nature taught she is stronger, she will not be denied.

Rains came and filled flood plains, flood water overflowed riverbanks.

Alternating heat waves scorched agricultural crops, dried up water stores

depriving living things of clean water the real ‘staff of life’ and food.

 

Who today will build an ark and mend the planet?

 

Let’s tack up Jack, my steely gray dray with kind eyes.

At the withers he is sixteen hands high.

Jack has a willing nature and heeds my voice commands.

For maximum communication I use the bit in his mouth

That I liken to the differential on a Massey Ferguson.

Jack’s four fine fetlocks have low impact on environmentally sensitive sites,

no noise pollution, no oil leak to destroy the ecosystem.

We’ll plant native Irish broadleaf trees for the planet,

trees for the bees, willow, hawthorn, hazel, sycamore, holly,

birch, oak and conifers: Scots pine, Douglas fir, spruce.

Trees reduce greenhouse gasses, clean the air we breathe, give us a beautiful harvest.

Varied flora and fauna will appear in this diverse habitat.

Horses can help a new generation to sustainable agricultural practices.

 

A different kind of society will evolve, it can feel good about it’s work.

More Posts

MUSIC AND MEMORY

MUSIC AND MEMORY   The first song that entered my consciousness as a young child was an American spiritual called: “Will the Angels Play their

Read More »

BRETON CALVARIES

BRETON CALVARIES   When our children were young, we used to get the car ferry from Cork to the French port of Roscoff, for our

Read More »

THE STUFF OF LIFE

THE STUFF OF LIFE   There was great excitement in the town when a fit up company arrived during the 1950’s. These were groups of

Read More »
error: Content is protected !!