A few months ago , back in the summer , the news was filled with the stories of the fires raging in the Amazon. Considered to be the lungs of the earth.

As more of the earth is being ravaged , we are experiencing alarming rates of species decline and extinction , loss of habitat , a decrease in bio diversity  and as a changing climate creates more environmental uncertainty , world leaders feel unmoved to act in any meaningful capacity.

In truth the Amazon was not the only forest burning. There were bush fires raging across the globe due to drought , bad land management and will-full  and deliberate slash and burn policies to clear land for agriculture, with no thought for the consequences. The recent bush fires claiming Australia bring the reality of our current crisis into sharp focus.

Our beautiful Earth is ruined. Her losses mount up day by day . The land erosion, the air & water pollution , the species extinction . By disconnecting the indigenous peoples from their lands , their cultures , their position of caretakers of the lands they were once custodians of , a great deal of important knowledge has been ignored. About maintaining balance in our world , about reciprocal relationship and interconnectedness . About taking only what we need and honouring the beings we share this Earth with for what they offer us in order for us to survive.

Capitalism took over and now we are reaping what we have sown . Whilst many cultures in all places this has happened , have been slowly re-building and re-generating their ancient wisdom and piecing together lost knowledge, adapting and seeking new ways to revive the old ways , change is slow to come. As a species , humans have lost their place in the natural world and everything has suffered as a result.

It leaves many of us overwhelmed. Anxious. Afraid for the future of our children and grand children. It leaves us numb and apathetic. It brings some of us waves of hope that we can change our current trajectory , followed by waves of despair when we realise just how much work there is yet to be done . Even if we collectively make a radical shift and did all the things we can possibly do right now to make the changes necessary – there is no guarantee it will make any difference. And I know many people , who have dedicated their lives to the cause of making positive changes to save this precious Earth , are themselves doubtful. We are facing difficult ,turbulent and challenging times ahead.

But there is always hope.

The solution for many is to fall in love again with the Earth. With our connection to each other. To land ,to place, to all the beings we live with;  plant , animal , insect,  fish, mountain ,river ,stone. What I call Landcestors. To remember them as kin.  To re-kin-dle our relationship to life. Even if only to tend to the grieving and honouring of all that’s been lost  and all that is dying. Even if only to make the most of what remains and to keep living and keep pushing for change. Because it matters and it might make a difference after all.

It was as I watched the Amazon burn and felt rather helpless to do anything useful to change things , that I felt inspired to find a creative response to share the experience. I was not the only one feeling the grief and the rage of living on a planet where people prioritise profit above life.

I wrote a single line and could write no more. I decided to share it on Facebook and Instagram and invite others to add their own verse. I collated each of them  in the order I discovered them on the feeds and the result was a beautiful  co -created prayer , an offering to the other than human , an acknowledgement of the situation , a healing balm.

This poem became a ritual for me for several days – each day I would offer a new verse to the world and once all contributions had been made – I went out into a wild place and performed the whole piece to the land. I offered the sorrow and the hopes.

And so here it is.  With much appreciation and gratitude to the contributors – D.A.Tarot , Peter Yanowski , Soul Flower Sharon , Sarah Fay Taylor (Roots and Resonance ), Tracey Dean and Sharon Murphy.

Love song to a dying world

Today I’ll walk amongst the trees that aren’t on fire

and burn

to feel the presence of natures wisdom

and taste the charred messages

from this ancient kingdom.

 

Touching one tree

connecting to all

our roots go deep;

holding one another

we feel it all.

They in turn feel our love

and I allow my heart to open

and my healing love to flow

as I hold tightly to a vision

of the world remembering.

With desire to learn

to evolve

and not witness humanity dissolve.

The forest cries out choked,

as feather meets ash ,fur and flesh

cleaved into the waters burning orange ,

as fire goes into spirit…

A stalking predator,

padding into the Throne Room of The Misguided,

walks beside me.

I will call out to the animals, the birds, the insects,

all the creatures who call to my soul asking… why?

what have we done?

We love you all unconditionally, can you love us this way too ?

Remember you are one of us ?