Arctic Breezes in May (coronavirus diary XV 5/13/20)

Marjorie Moorhead

Arctic breezes blow through this May,
even on a sunny day, as pipe-smoke clouds float
in blue sky and songbirds illuminate the Spring.

Cold winds bleat, ominous,
telling us, Not safe to relax.
Human activity forced to slow, Earth takes a pause now.
A prolonged in-breath, where we can notice
birds abundant and close-by. Cityscapes emerging
through lessened haze. Wild goats encroaching
on manicured hedges, having fun.

In this suspended time, let us consider
what’s been done.
We un-stranded a sustaining weave.
Unraveled braids, one by one.
Flying threads now whip, wild
at the mercy of avenging winds.

How to breathe out again; take hold,
bind back parts entwined strong?
With lighter touch; inclusive, branching,
like mycelia, creating connections, we could
be integrated with Earth’s fabric. In partnership,
we could be celebratory beads, sewn into a cosmos,
twinkling.

The Science

Life on Planet Earth has become uncertain in many aspects. Human activity has taken a toll, contributing to climate disasters, species extinction, migrating refugees. The troubles we’ve caused have become very clear under the COVID-19 pandemic, where we have less distractions of routine, and are forced to pay attention. It has given us a peek at how aspects of Nature revive and thrive once out from under our heavy footprint. It is uncertain as to how we will go forward. Will we be able to save our planet, acting as stewards, creating better systems of existence, and enjoy its gifts again?

The Poet

Marjorie Moorhead lives on the border of two states; a river valley surrounded by mountains. She considers poetry her most important language and uses it to address survival, observation of the everyday and our interactions with the environment and each other. Her poems appear in two chapbooks: ‘Survival: Trees, Tides, Song’ (Finishing Line Press, 2019), and ‘Survival Part 2: Trees, Birds, Ocean, Bees’ (Duck Lake Books, 2020) and journals and anthologies, including ‘A Change of Climate’ (ed. Sam Illingworth and Dan Simpson), and ‘Planet In Peril’ (Fly on the Wall Press). Marjorie’s forthcoming poetry collection will be published with Indolent Books. Find more at https://marjoriewritespoetry.wordpress.com/places-you-can-see-my-work/.

Next poem: Butterflies by Nicholas J. Kinar