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Martie

Moderator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-09-21

Posts 28049
California

0 posted 2001-05-06 08:47 PM

Front Page News

Front page news it seems is dry.
The photo like a desert scene
on a movie set.

The farmer’s shoulders are hunched
as if they were shields
to protect his heart from cruelty.
Through the dried out valley he walks,
covered with his own bewilderment,
made of dust and wind.

There is no water, you see,
to bring back the place
where life grew its stubby green
beginning shoot.

I thought when I saw this photo
on the front page,
I was looking at another country,
not this green and glorious
state of California.
California, where poppies spread
in abandon down hillsides
and lupine send their lavender arms
up into the perfect sky.

I was wrong.

Marge Tindal

Member Empyrean

since 1999-11-06

Posts 42384
Florida's Foreverly Shores

1 posted 2001-05-06 10:47 PM

Martie~
Definitely not a pretty picture is it ?

You've described it well ...
I see it also in the dwindling Florida lakes
where there is more shore than water right now.

Guess we have to practice up on Grandmother's rain chant !
*Hugs*
~*Marge*~

~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~
noles1@totcon.com

Mysteria

Member Laureate

since 2001-03-07

Posts 18328
British Columbia, Canada

2 posted 2001-05-06 11:34 PM

Yes Martie you did describe it well. We are selling our water in B.C. to you in California, and guess what? The are not paying the bill, and now I do believe they are being denied. How sad! You did however do a wonderful job on this.

~*~ I write ~ Therefore I am ~*~

Homepage: http://www.mysteria-poetry.cityslide.com/contents/contents/cfm/451673

wandering glider
Senior Member

since 2001-04-04

Posts 501
aloft

3 posted 2001-05-07 12:52 PM

what can be certain but the sunrise?

Sudhir Iyer
Member Ascendant

since 2000-04-26

Posts 6943
Mumbai, India : now in Belgium

4 posted 2001-05-07 03:18 AM

Excellent description in such a lucid style...

Regards to you, Martie,
Sudhir

Auguste

Member Elite

since 2000-02-16

Posts 3953
By the sea

5 posted 2001-05-07 04:03 AM

My friend,

As writers, we sometimes have to face the "real truth" and write about what is happening in our own back yard. You've done this well. Maybe it's not a pretty picture, but is "is" llfe. Thank you, Martie.

Michael

Proust-
"Love is space and time measured by the heart"

Kit McCallum

Administrator

Member Laureate

since 2000-04-30

Posts 14774
Ontario, Canada

6 posted 2001-05-07 07:31 AM

"The farmer’s shoulders are hunched
as if they were shields
to protect his heart from cruelty.
Through the dried out valley he walks,
covered with his own bewilderment,
made of dust and wind. "

Incredible imagery Martie ... my mouth is dry just reading of it. You've captured such a true and sad reality ... it so often scares me. We used to live on a hobby farm with a well, and I wished for rain daily. We even had to truck in water several summers. Wonderful writing as always, you allow me to visualize and think, much enjoyed!

Best wishes,
/Kit

VAS
Member Rara Avis

since 2000-11-16

Posts 7450
Oregon

7 posted 2001-05-07 09:25 AM

Yes, drought is horrid. In the 1940's, the great migration occurred, people left the midwest and headed or California for jobs and water. Where can the Californians go? To the Pacific? To Oregon? Portland is inundated with families that have to jobs in the fields because the farmers have no water, Portland, where rain is what makes a picnic 'normal.' We must pray for the rainbow's promise.

RMW
Senior Member

since 2001-03-21

Posts 1424

8 posted 2001-05-07 10:15 AM

Martie...Excellent. And it makes me even more thankful for all of the lupine that I did see this past weekend. Very good. Bob

Martie

Moderator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-09-21

Posts 28049
California

9 posted 2001-05-07 01:46 PM

Marge--we have had such much rain this year..seems like it would be enough...the rain dance worked before...give it a try.

Sharon--Thanks for the water but the bill, sigh...

wandering glider--The sunrise is not always certain...is it?

Regards to you Sudhir..thanks for the nice reply.

Michael...yes, life isn't always sweet, just most of the time, for me.

Kit--thanks for the wonderful reply.

Virginia--Yes...I know...prayer would be nice...thanks for your thoughtful reply.

Bob--yes, isn't spring beautiful!

Wilfred Yeats
Member Elite

since 2000-08-04

Posts 2704
Wilmington, Delaware

10 posted 2001-05-07 02:48 PM

Twenty years ago a great computer pioneer lady (Grace Hopper) in her wisdom suggested ( I'd use the word "knew") that linking many small computers and using them to analyse the world's weather would be mankind's solution to controlling weather AND assuring that we get ENOUGH (but not too much) water whereever it is needed. You've pointed this out in the beautiful poetic way that is uniquely you

Interloper

Member Rara Avis

since 2000-11-06

Posts 8369
Deep in the heart

11 posted 2001-05-07 02:50 PM

Ah, California.
The State of contradiction.

Live for love. Without love, you don't live.

suthern

Member Seraphic

since 1999-07-29

Posts 20723
Louisiana

12 posted 2001-05-09 12:03 PM

The farmer's sweat just isn't enough... and the vivid imagery in your words dries my mouth. Well done!

Sunshine

Administrator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-06-25

Posts 63354
Listening to every heart

13 posted 2001-05-09 12:14 PM

Kansas, green of spring
my native state begs with thirst
I remember home

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