What will the world hold for my wee grandson sleeping so peacefully in his hammock ? I just hope the world listens to the wise ones and heeds their warnings, I want my grandchildren to know the beauty of nature as I do - plant trees everyone and nuture your children and grandbabies - teach them well ...
When the last bee died,
nobody noticed. Nobody put on black
or made a dirge for the death
of honey. Nobody wrote an elegy
to apricotes, no one mourned for cherries.
When the last bee died,
everyone was busy. They had things to do,
drove straight to work each morning,
stright back home each night.The roads
all seriously hummed.Besides,
the pantries were still packed
with cans of fruit cocktails in heavy syrup,
deep deep freezers full
of concentrated grape and orange juice,
stores stocked with artificial flavouring.
When the last bee died, nobody cried
for burdock, yarrow and wild delphinium.
Now and again a child would ask for
dandelions, quickly shushed: that pest !
And everyone is fine. The children healthy,
raddish-cheeked.They play she loves me/not
with savoy cabbage leaves, enjoy the telling
of the great mythes, peach and peony.
no one believes in apples anymore.
End Notes for a Small History by Betty Lies
As I sit here on a hot summer day with thousands of cicada yelling out their mating songs,and a slight breeze ruffling the leaves on the trees in my garden, I suddenly become very aware of how lucky I am to live where I live - no fighting and death, warmth, food and a roof over my head. The poem above I feel is very important for all to heed, not only bees, but so many of our insects,plants and animals are loosing their lives to greedy human activities. Without bees to pollinate so many of our food plants, life will be very different and boring to say the least - 3/4 of the food we eat is pollinated by the honey bee Apis melliera.
Some of you may know I have another blog which is my diary really of my beekeeping adventures, it is a hobby I really enjoy, the honey being a bonus. To see and hear my garden, and the neighbours, buzzing with bees, leaves me with such a sense of wonderment - I am doing my small part for my environment.
New Zealand has always been percieved as `clean and green`, but we are dismally failing to uphold these ideals - once the Waikato river is able to be swum in again, there is no rubbish on our beautiful beaches or roadsides and NO more native tree milling, then I will believe our Govt is doing as much as it can to fix the problems.
6 comments:
Ngaio - it really did me good to read your post - here we are in the depths of winter with a foot of snow. It is easy to get down when you are scared of walking out, falling and breaking something. But then to read your blog - sad poem and all - yes I agree everyone is so busy dashing about that they don't have time for the little things in life. Love that photo!
What a wonderful poem, thank you for posting it. I'm reading Barbara Kingsolver's Animal Vegetable Miracle at the moment which is also good. But the last bee poem, succinct, tender, packed with power: what a wonderful piece.
And yes I am in Hamilton now, could be persuaded to swop a book/lesson for some of your honey, honey...
Really like that poem. Where can I find out more about Betty Lies? A quick google didnt lead me anywhere useful. Do you have her book?
I really agree with your thoughts in this post.
Just a lovely and powerful poem Ngaio, thanks for sharing. Have you read Sue Monk Kidd's novel The Secret Life of Bees ? I think you would enjoy it, also a celebration of how we can choose to nurture life for our & all of earth's children.
It's a lovely poem. You probably know there is a big honey bee die off in the States [not that honey bees are native to North America as it is]. I read however [maybe in Discover Magazine] that native bees and wasps would pick up the slack--if--farmers would allow strips of trees and native plants in between fields. Monoculture growing has not really been anyone's friend [the subject in part of The Botany of Desire and The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan]. Given a little breathing room perhaps nature will find a way :)
Thanks for your comment Rorlandi, I have read that book and enjoyed it - will call into your blog today.
Yes Kim, I do know about CCD in the States and across Europe, it is frightening. I have my own thoughts on the matter, monoculture and the over-use of pesticides for so long, plus the moving of bees all over the countryside must be stressful, thsy don`t get a chance to rest as they would over winter and the single food supply is so bad - bees need a variety of pollen and nectar from lots of different plants for a balanced diet. My hives are in an urban area where my bees have a huge selection of plants and trees to visit.
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