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Woody, Can You See?

Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 6:51 pm
by indar
Woody, Can You See?
 
My lily pond scummed
with ash. I filled it in
and planted succulents.
 
It's not the threat of fire 
that lurks the background
of blue-sky days
but citrus groves dying
inland. Desalinization lulls,
it's a waiting game.
 
I'm older than Donald Trump,
(get your own while you can)
we'll both be dead
by the time oil floats
the water wars.
 
So why do I care what happens
to this land is your land..
this land is my land,
redwood forests, amber grain?
 
Maybe my eternal soul will see.
Wouldn't that be Holy Hell?

Re: Woody, Can You See?

Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 7:12 pm
by Colm Roe
Oh indy...this is fab.
This land will always be your/our land.
It's all we have; as long as we remember.
It's late here, but I'll be back.
Strong writing.
 

Re: Woody, Can You See?

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2018 10:18 am
by Tracy Mitchell
I love this!  You present a strong Narrator's voice with plenty of perspective, irony, and a dash of sarcasm.  
Linking the N w/Trump is a fascinating twist.  No less depressing, though.

Your images are well formed and well regulated -- the pond, the citrus grove, the oil floating on water. 
The theme is strongly presented. I love the phrase "oil floats the water wars".  And we suppose they are coming.
Yes, what would Woody think.  
Great closing.

You are hitting your stride.

T

Re: Woody, Can You See?

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2018 11:52 am
by Matty11
Good question, good title, and good poem. Personally, I could have done without the Trump baggage, but I suspect that is just me!

best

Matty

Re: Woody, Can You See?

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2018 12:08 pm
by Mark
Good honest writing, a gentle sort of slip-slide narrative that leads to a solid conclusion. I remember a bit of an uproar over Nestle being on track to bottle vast amounts of California natural water a few years back; wonder how that panned out.   

Re: Woody, Can You See?

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2018 12:56 pm
by Tracy Mitchell
Matty11 wrote:
Sun Mar 18, 2018 11:52 am
I could have done without the Trump baggage. . . .
 
I think that every day.

Re: Woody, Can You See?

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:41 am
by indar
Oh indy...this is fab.
This land will always be your/our land.
It's all we have; as long as we remember.
It's late here, but I'll be back.
Strong writing.

 Thank you so much Colm. Forgive me for not getting back to you for so long. I felt uncertain about how this poem would be read and wanted to get more feedback---it took 10 days so now I can ask you what the actual physical land is worth once the oil rights, the water rights have been sold off and the right to self-determination by fair and free elections have been abridged in so many ways. And who is at fault? Does limiting water-use by putting out rain barrels and planting low water need succulents, plug-in cars, a couple of solar panels and desalinization plants just act as forms of denial and distract from the real issues?

Tracy and Phil, Thank you both for your comments. I don't see Trump/narrator as  causes but as different kinds of victims/symptoms. Tracy--as to your second comment: although I am trying to see Trump as much a victim of "evil forces" (said with tongue in cheek) as perpetrator I'm not doing very well. What is to become of us?

http://www.newsweek.com/race-buy-worlds-water-73893

Mark--I don't remember a dust up over CA water rights in particular but I know developing countries are selling theirs and will rue the day. Thanks for the read and positive comments

Re: Woody, Can You See?

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:44 am
by Mark
https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/en ... 928071001/

As far as the presidency goes, the choice was between a catastrophe and a disaster - the disaster won.



 

Re: Woody, Can You See?

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 12:29 pm
by indar
Mark--your link bumped me until I agreed to respond to a poll. Here is another one:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-n ... story.html

Re: Woody, Can You See?

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 3:59 pm
by Mark
Mm. I read that one too when i did my bit of mini-research. water is the new oil in a post-carbon world.