Friday, January 18, 2013

Rivers and bridges: knowledge and understanding.

 Chobe waterfront, Botswana. Picture by Jim McIntosh.

There are these rivers that flow wide between us.
There are these oceans of knowledge unknown.
If we could converse would you join with us
replanting the damaging seeds you have sown?


An orangutan mother comforts her baby, dazed at the loss of her jungle homeland, destroyed for palm oil plantations.

It could start as a trickle, like a mountain stream flowing
until understanding is falling like Spring's gentle rain.
There may be chasms and canyons between us
but knowledge spills over like waterfalls of champagne.


 The whaling industry nearly wiped out many whale species. Picture courtesy Norfolk Museum.
It could start when these rivers have bridges across them
and torrents of knowledge flow to the sea.
When you bridge this water we'll show you the ocean
of blood from the slaughter of the disappeared species.



Research advances into unlocking the secrets of animal communication. Some researches say within 5 years we will talk with elephants. When we finally do, will we be able to accept what they will tell us? 

If we could build bridges and walk this land together
we'll show you where beauty and rhythm abounds.
And across these wide rivers, across these wild seas
there'll be no more conflict between man and us beasts.








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6 comments:

Jessica said...

Wow..I found this really touching and poignant. I'm going to share it on fb. Thank you. :)

Leah Griffith said...

This was so touching and beautiful. Perhaps we will listen to the elephants, but I think not. Greed is a heady motivator destroying land, animals, and humans alike. If they don't care about their own species why would they listen to the wisdom of an elephant. I'm just saying. Thanks for this beautiful post Jim. You're an amazing guy.
XO

ChiOfDayne said...

I would love it if a few hundred ( or thousand) could be touched even half as much as I am....Seeing these images!!! Then, make a donation of money or time, in order to help preserve these incredible animals ....and the balance of nature in order to make a real difference upon "Our Planet" !!!!!!

Lulur Pemutih Tubuh said...

this post is very interesting and easy to read, I hope to visit again

Neneng Tarigan said...

This is a very touching poem, Jim; it makes me cry, especially the paragraph when you said the blood of the slaughtered species drained to the ocean. I remember the case where many of our orang utans killed by the greedy palm oil investors. We can not just sit watching these all. Thanks for always keep us all alert.

Dete said...

Very nice blog! It seems that you still need to stop by my country, Brazil, and see the beautiful animals from the pantanal (swamp region). Beautiful texts/poems. I will follow you on your travels. Sometimes I write about mines, in one of my blogs.
Good luck!
Bernadete