Listen to a reading of this poem.
❖
It is a good time to appreciate the insects
and functioning supply chains
and normal weather
and the fact that there are whales.
It is a good time to appreciate our loved ones
and tell people what they mean to us
and throw ourselves into romance with wild abandon
and be naked and vulnerable with someone who is gentle.
It is a good time to live in continuous appreciation
for the sun on our face
for the birdsongs in our ears
for a fresh cup of coffee
for a child’s laugh
for a lover’s touch
for electricity and clean water
for a visible sky
for breathable air
for arable land
for a living world.
It is a good time to cherish this orgy of terrestriality
with everything we’ve got
for however long it is with us
so that if the time comes to say goodbye
we can tuck it in lovingly and kiss it goodnight
like a tired little boy
after a long day’s play.
_________________
_________________
_________________
My work is entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, following me on Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud or YouTube, buying an issue of my monthly zine, or throwing some money into my tip jar on Ko-fi, Patreon or Paypal. If you want to read more you can buy my books. The best way to make sure you see the stuff I publish is to subscribe to the mailing list for at my website or on Substack, which will get you an email notification for everything I publish. Everyone, racist platforms excluded, has my permission to republish, use or translate any part of this work (or anything else I’ve written) in any way they like free of charge. For more info on who I am, where I stand, and what I’m trying to do with this platform, click here. All works co-authored with my American husband Tim Foley.
Bitcoin donations:1Ac7PCQXoQoLA9Sh8fhAgiU3PHA2EX5Zm2
23 responses to “It Is A Good Time To Appreciate The Insects”
lovingly kissing a tired little boy doesn’t describe very well how this ends.
More like leaving a terminally abused little body by the side of the road, as we turn to see who’s posting on Tic-Toc.
The issue isn’t “can the human race adapt?” It’s “how much better life would be if it doesn’t”.
Soulful. And very beautiful.
Yes, the insects are disappearing from the Earth and humans do not even notice (unless they do research as entomologists).
~
Who do notice the profound absence of bugs are the many birds who make the creepy crawlies a staple of their diet. Alas, the birds are disappearing too.
~
Surely, says the humans, this degradation of our biosphere will end there, but the amphibians and reptiles never got that message before they started declining in shocking numbers as well.
~
Not only will we own nothing and purportedly be happy in the future, but we will be gone along with all the rest of Mother Earth’s species.
It is a good time to start over again recruiting social media followers.
While I contemplate the sound made by grassroots there is no doubt when I realize that the birds tweeting in my garden have real retweets back and forth about what is going on around the neighborhood. They have an impact during the short season of heat.
If the CIA and FBI had just their bots following me as a result of quick purchase on the internet, they would not bother about my words. I can curse out loud over the wide landscape of the World Wide Web. Impressions about my tweets would be low as shallow goes.
It is a good time to start over again.
Lovely thought, considering that a small number of humans have managed to wipe out almost all the insects in the world, anyway I found this today on the online magazine, ‘ScienceDaily’.
Social media experiment reveals potential to ‘inoculate’ millions of users against misinformation
Of course, this can work both ways depending on who calls what, “misinformation”, so that should pretty much shut down the last few remaining alternative websites or at least their following won’t grow.
According to Biden voters supporting Trump are extremists and I believe he means the same for protesters demanding change at the Capitol Riot.
Following the White House practices we can figure out what is not extremism as for example:
– US drones bombing Lebanon;
– US drones bombing Libya;
– US drones bombing Iraq;
– US drones bombing Yemen;
– US drones bombing Somalia;
– US drones bombing Ethiopia;
– US drones bombing Mali;
– US drones bombing Uganda;
– US drones bombing Congo;
– US drones bombing Afghanistan;
– US drones bombing Syria;
– US drones bombing Pakistan;
– US drones bombing Sri Lanka;
– US drones bombing Russian soldiers on Ukraine;
– US drones etc etc etc.
US soldiers keeping a sharp watch in ‘Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp
Soldier 1 – Did you see what the president called Trump supporters?
Soldier 2 – Yeah, extremists.
Soldier 1 – If things go south, do you think they will end up here on Gitmo?
Soldier 2 – No. The ones detained here are innocents being held without proof of terrorism. We cannot risk their lives. Besides.
Well…that article was a breath of fresh air.
I’m a gardener and never use harmful chemicals or pesticides; therefore, I have a plethora of bird species (even a family of Quail reside in my huge Blue Spruce), insects, and other creatures. Sometimes the insects eat selected plants, but that is condoned as they are simply hungry. Having organic diversity (without dangerous chemicals, e.g.-Round-up, etc.) is beneficial in abating garden plant destruction.
Predatory-Capitalism, and pernicious chemical production, with dastardly intent (and no oversight) is responsible for the present condition we find ourselves in (e.g.- Mrna experimental non-vaccine).
I do love your writings, but “throw ourselves into romance with wild abandon”…really?….because that’s worked out so well for everyone….
I am presently creating an additional minimum of 36,000 Dollars per month from home doing C50 very honest
and clean on-line work from home. Website……. http://joinpay1.blogspot.com
It was C60 down below… Whatever that means, there’s undeniably a drop…
I bet we’d have more time if geriatric CEO’s and politicians weren’t making all of the important decisions. When’s the last time you heard a western leader or pundit talk about the long term future of humanity? Are they even thinking about it?
Caitlin your poem is beautiful. Thank you. This morning on the way back from walking the dog, a monarch fluttered all over and around us. It was breathtaking. Yes, there is so much beauty in our troubled world…
Let’s face the facts.
1) American people were not consulted about Ukraine, Taiwan, covid or anything else. I assume the government must be listening just to the ones who own richness and they are taking decisions from it. Anything coming from the people is censored. You can lose your job and you can be even put in jail. Republicans and democrats are one voice regarding wars and I don’t see any signs of it changing.
2) Every American action towards foreign countries used to have a minimal level of reasoning but today there is none. There are just guessing, guts and hormones. It is the individual who just get out of her/his bed and decided that today was the perfect day to commit suicide. A political gamble. I’ll bluff till the end. Something must come out of this because I have the weapons to put an end to this world. It resonates overall European allies and Asian allies.
Conclusion – We must let it go. The ultimate clash will happen and I’ll not loose my sleep because of it. Actually, I’m glad it is going to happen. I don’t wanna see a future where the war is avoided but the demon will be always there threatening everyone if something is going to happen in the way they want it to be. I’m tired of all these knuckleheads at the White House. I love people. I’m a people person. Unfortunately this reality is not for people anymore but demons getting away from their crimes smiling in impunity.
H.L. Mencken (1880-1956): “The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary”
We’ll have plenty of time to appreciate the insects since it’s apparently what the gatekeepers of the reservation are hell bent on feeding us in the future. I can’t wait to eat a butterfly sandwich or a barbecued mosquito! Looks like it’s gonna be a good day to die too! :o)
My chickens agree…
Love your poetry and the insight it expresses.
Defending minorities is a good way to implode some tough majorities.
In the aftermath, if it can bring some voters to our side, it was worth the shot and casualties from social clashes.
Defending corporations in foreign lands is good way to invade and take control over those countries.
In the aftermath, if it can bring outstanding profits, it was worth the shot. Poverty, starvation, corruption better to fall upon them than us.
Sponsoring terrorists in foreign lands is a good way to introduce regime change without deploying our army which is unable to defend our kitchen when the need is upon us.
Propaganda is a powerful weapon.
Britannia talked its way throughout India, Japan, Americas, Africa back in the day. At the beginning they all believed Britannia had a huge territory and army. Today you cannot look at it without laughing.
Propaganda is another version of faith. Once you can great doubt to make it go where you want it to go, it is done.
Keep remembering that. Thanks CJ.
Thank you for the poem.
It is a good time to appreciate insects indeed. The air is filled with the sounds of katydids.
As to appreciating arable land, why yes, this is what Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates are buying up – appreciates as dollar depreciates due to US printing and spending on war.
I am presently creating an additional minimum of 36,000 Dollars per month from home doing C60 very honest
and clean on-line work from home. Website……. http://joinpay1.blogspot.com
Working for peanuts is all very fine
But I can show you a better time
Baby you can drive my car