once more around the sun
this earth that marks neither
beginning nor end —
while, we, crossing an
artificial border of time,
raise fists and voices —
to save the earth from
us, to save us from
ourselves —
strange, this word, movement
its only option, returning to
where it began —
this word without time, without
place, this word without choices, this
world without choices: revolution —
a fist that wraps a fist,
a voice that echoes a voice: revolution,
once more around the sun —
Reblogged this on NANMYKEL.COM and commented:
Just marvelous–all of it. Thank you for penning and sharing. I;m reblogging
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Thanks so much. Glad it resonated.
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To save the earth from us, and us from ourselves, that is the dilemma, along with “leaders” in denial or criminal disregard. Sigh. Love your poem. Loving this gathering of voices.
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Thank you, Sherry!
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One year ends, the next begins and the world goes crazy with joy, until Day 2 when they realize nothing changed, in fact things got a whole lot worse. The earth revolves, but history goes backwards.
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True, Kerry. Day 3 this year was as long as a year, in fact, and a lot has got a whole lot worse.
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Well said and well thought, as always.
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Thank you, Rosemary.
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How oddly the word pairs with both turning round once again and exploding forth with something new — maybe not, now that I think about it, but “revolution” here remains staunch in its two senses, allowing a duple mind for where we are now. When there is no choice, we can only turn toward the sun and break wide. Thanks so for bringing this to earthweal. A fond farewell to the Industrial Revolution and eager eyes toward what’s next.
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Revolution, dissent, rebellion – everywhere you look in the world, there are people on the streets trying to claim their lives and rights back. And yet, the problems now will seem insignificant once the climate issues precipitate, entangle and create bigger ones. The earth too will try to reclaim its life and rights.
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Revolution is eternal; with the humans or without. The closing three lines have light of their own. Brilliant as always.
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Thank you, Sumana… both meanings of the word, so significant for different reasons in our country and beyond.
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A long sigh !
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🙂 Thank you!
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“To save the earth from us,” therein lies the seemingly insurmountable problem. “While we cross an artificial border…” a familiar theme. BTW I love the title.
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Thanks so much, Yvonne.
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This piece finds and gives balance in the questions it poses, and the images it presents. I love the word/world play in such terms as ‘revolutions’ and the quiet sureness of the voice.
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Thanks so much. Greatly appreciated.
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Thot, love your wordplay for the final stanza of this poem. Sadly, I don’t think humanity has earned the right for the next trip around the sun
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Thanks Therisa… yes it is going to be the decade that will decide that, I suppose. Hope we act wise and fast.
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Revolution takes on a new meaning – I wonder who and what powers are in battle. Nature versus man, man vs man. It’s my hope that we will continue to revolve into another day where there is light somewhere in the world.
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Hope is what keeps us going for now – hope for quick and coordinated action to save man and nature. Thanks, Truedessa.
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To revolve, revolt, revolution, absolution. If the time line we cross is artificial, there is only the continuous looping and fading out. Thus fist in fist, we find no absolution. I especially like the elision of world and word.
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Thanks so much, Susan. A very happy new year to you!
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Revolution, we certainly need one
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🙂 We do!
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