Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Science

“Faith” is fine invention (202)

                                           BY EMILY DICKINSON

“Faith” is a fine invention

For Gentlemen who see!

But Microscopes are prudent

In an Emergency!

Midweek Motif ~ Science

Time to write to things Scientific and observable in Labs.   

Let us see what science can do.

Between 4 lines and 14 ~ Form is up to you.  

Inspiration:     Warning!  As a Romantic, Poe was not a fan of science.

Sonnet—To Science

                                      BY EDGAR ALLAN POE

Science! true daughter of Old Time thou art!

   Who alterest all things with thy peering eyes.

Why preyest thou thus upon the poet’s heart,

   Vulture, whose wings are dull realities?

How should he love thee? or how deem thee wise,

   Who wouldst not leave him in his wandering

To seek for treasure in the jewelled skies,

   Albeit he soared with an undaunted wing?

Hast thou not dragged Diana from her car,

   And driven the Hamadryad from the wood

To seek a shelter in some happier star?

   Hast thou not torn the Naiad from her flood,

The Elfin from the green grass, and from me

The summer dream beneath the tamarind tree?

Sonnet Parody of Poe’s “To Science”        

With gratitude for Poe’s vision and visions

By Susan Chast

Science!  True Sister of Poetry thou art!

You nurture all being by opening eyes!

And compliment modern poets’ hearts,

White dove, whose wings are open files!

Why should they hate thee? Or how deem thee weird,

Who wouldst aid them in their questing

Throughout and beyond  planets’ atmospheres?

How could they deny using thy virtual wings?

Hast thou not lifted God into place?

And driven out the Devil from the deep earth

So that inquiry and simile meet face to face?

Hast thou not found atoms in what was a dearth

Of matter, power in what was mere sun, and to me

Given insight into how conflicts mock liberties?

~

Please:  

1.      Post your science  poem of 4 ~ 14 lines on your site, and then link it here.

2.      Share only original and new work written for this challenge. 

3.      Leave a comment here.

4.      Honor our community by visiting and commenting on others' poems.

(The next Midweek Motif is Mayday Eve or Walpurgisnacht.)

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Chat Between Two Poets - Susie Clevenger

Recently, my friends, a poem titled Bewitch the Oppressors, really spoke to me, with its ecologically urgent and environmentally aware message. Our own bright-eyed Susie Clevenger penned it, at her blog Confessions of a Laundry Goddess. 
I nabbed it for a Poem of the Week, and then we decided it would be interesting to have one of our poet chats about it. Enjoy the poem and the animated short - which is beautiful - and then join us by the fire for our chat.

BEWITCH THE OPPRESSORS

Luna, bewitch the oppressors
who drench the earth with poison

that stills the bees’ flight

and leaves the garden barren.

Morning has grown silent:

Luna, bewitch the oppressors

pouring death into the wind

to rob honeycombs of gold.

Wildflowers no longer

turn the meadow into a bouquet.

Luna, bewitch the oppressors

who plunder the queen’s kingdom.

Please restore hope of another spring,

another summer, poppies touched

by velvet wings humming the song of life.

Luna, bewitch the oppressors.

©Susie Clevenger 2014

                                         Bee - 3d animated short from Vladimir Loginov on Vimeo.

Sherry: Susie, I love this poem so much! And the beautiful video that accompanies it. Tell us what inspired it.

Luna and Shaman Rabbit

by Toril Fisher

Susie: The poem, Bewitch The Oppressors, was originally sparked by the painting, Luna and Shaman Rabbit by Toril Fisher. Her paintings on the lids of abandoned bee hives are not only beautiful, but make a statement on how humans have lost their connection with nature.

Huge companies now control much of the farmland and production of farming.  Their practice of fertilizing with a 24d herbicide mixture containing 50% Agent Orange is senseless and, in my opinion, amounts to an act of war on all living things. This continued practice is causing the colony collapse of the European honey bee that pollinates many of the agricultural crops worldwide.

an act of war on all living things

Sherry: Agent Orange! I didn't know that is what they used, though I was aware of the decline in bees due to pesticides. This is really criminal. I can't believe it is allowed.

Susie: The word bewitch means to cast a spell on or gain control by magic. Throughout literature, the moon often is given the ability to bewitch. When I did some research I found information on moon planting, planting according to the lunar cycle. It is an ancient practice that is finding a contemporary resurgence. 

www.farmersalmanac.com

Sherry: I have heard of that, too, and of communities such as Findhorn, in Scotland, where the gardens are magical, due to the humans working closely with, and listening to, the nature spirits. I am loving this conversation, Susie!

Susie: Nature is so much wiser than man and, upon seeing the rabbit Shaman in the painting, I thought how appropriate it was this creature of fertility would lift a prayer to the moon asking for humans to realize, if the bees die, so do they.

if the bees die, so do we

Sherry: Humans are taking such a long time to comprehend the magnitude of this truth.

Susie: When I was doing some research for the poem, I felt such grief. I question the sanity of humans, that would poison soil and kill the very thing that insures life is regenerated. 

The lust for money blinds the soul, when it has no concern for the harm it perpetuates. I felt I needed to add my voice to the outcry at this atrocity. Thankfully,  I also found many who are working to educate and petition industry to be more responsible. 

Poetry often draws attention to the world's condition. I find myself writing more often with that thought in mind.

Sherry: Thank you for being that voice, Susie! And for inspiring us to add ours to the conversation.

Kids, Susie has provided links to her interesting sources, for any of you who wish to learn more.

Bewitch The Oppressors

http://confessionsofalaundrygoddess.blogspot.com/2014/02/bewitch-oppressors.html

Toril Fisher Art

http://wdrt.org/toril-booker-fisher-artist/

Moon Planting

http://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/02/garden/planting-by-the-full-moon-bright-idea-or-lunacy.html

http://www.gardeningbythemoon.com/lunarfacts.html

Colony Collapse

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_collapse_disorder

Many thanks, Susie, for this chat, and for your long-time loyalty to and participation at Poets United. And for your wonderful poetry, which graces our lives and adds depth to our days. Kids, I know you are aware that there are reams of wonderful poems to enjoy in Susie's archives. One could wander happily in there for hours.

Come back and see who we feature next, kids. Who knows? It might be you!

Poetry Pantry #198

Chimney Rock, North Carolina

Me standing under the flag at the top of Chimney Rock

A View from the top of Chimney Rock

A creek in the town of Chimney Rock, North Carolina

Lake Lure, NC - Where film "Dirty Dancing" was filmed

Eastern Continental Divide, North Carolina

Greetings, Poets!

Happy Easter to those of you who celebrate!

Glad to see each of you here this week for Poetry Pantry  It is always enjoyable for me to get to know you through your poetry; and I hope you feel the same.  Admittedly, I personally appreciate those with whom there is a feeling of reciprocity, which makes for a feeling of community.  I think we ALL tend to visit (after a while) people with whom we reciprocate.

This week I am sharing some North Carolina, USA, photos.

Be sure to visit Poets United tomorrow to see what Sherry Blue Sky  has planned to share.  Will it be a featured poet?  A featured blog?  Or a featured poem?

Glad to see the turnout  for  Mid-Week Motif Wednesday continues to be good.  We hope to see you this coming week for another challenging prompt by Susan Chast!

And on Friday, remember to see who Rosemary Nissen-Wade is featuring on her "I Wish I Had Written This" or "The Living Dead."

I issue an invitation here to those of you who participate in Poetry Pantry.  If YOU have special photos that you would like me to feature some week, let me know what kind of photos you have.  There are participants here from many different cities, many different countries.  I think it is great fun to see different areas featured. I am especially interested in scenic views of your area or an area you have visited.  Send inquiries first to dixibear@aol.com letting me know what you have.  I am interested in city or country views - in your home area or places you have traveled.

Anyway, with no further adieu, this is one of my favorite spaces to post poetry each week.  I hope you look forward to it too.  An older one or a new one, it's your choice.

Link your ONE poem.   Then leave a comment below. Then visit other poets.  And I will too.  (If I miss your poem, visit me, and I will visit you... I am like anyone else, appreciating reciprocity.) We ALL like comments, so if you link please DO spend time visiting others.  That is part of the fun as well.  We really like it if you link back to Poets United too, so we spread the Poetry Pantry word in the blogosphere.

Come back a few times on Sunday and Monday to see what's new.  Visit some strangers, and they will become new friends!  Making new friends and reading new poetry, what more could one want?

If you are on Facebook, look for us there as well. Join our site.  It is one more way to stay in touch!

And now...here is the procedure, for those who are new here:  Each Sunday we start a new post with a New Mr. Linky for you. This is so that you can post a link to a poem in your blog. The link will close Monday at 12:00 p.m. (CDT), but you can still visit the links of those who have posted them.