Three Poems from Ellen

Ellen chose this photo to be alongside her poems.

If only it were a tiny mosquito
                                   
To smack and stop the poison

If only we hadn’t cut down the woods

Where creatures have their own pathogen make up

If only we didn’t steal their homes,

those cute things we draw, paint

photograph, 4 footed animals that now

give us a taste of  our thieves’ foodprint,

In sharing their molecular makeup with 2 footed ones --

to  deliver the pay-back that way, that we did not want.

If only this cerulean blue can continue its sky splendor

Showing so many colors of green and

Bedazzling flower and tree blossom 

So solid and reassuring,

We, so blinded from hazardous living.

If only our eyes would see what they see Enough,

to want the beauty we relish and STOP all:

 roll back the clock to a quieter time,

If only we believe the opportunity to retain this condition sits in front

When pollutant machines were invisible among us,

When sun and wind purified the children with a little gust

Into the Future. And our lungs weren’t impaired

If only we knew their species was our own.

And we must Co-exist in mindful kindness but alone,

With an eye towards sharing the universe

Surviving on the planet together

And nothing worse.

Ellen Mass is at right in center row.  Zoom meeting attendees.

                                       Ellen Mass

Nihilistic Beauty

Spring has Confounded Me

with its nihilistic beauty

Exploding in brilliant warmth and color

Flying cheerfully in the face of hidden horrors,

in tenement buildings, nursing homes, factories,

ware houses, plants, prisons, migration shelters.

Spring green so perfect

Every leaf, fir needle, pine cone, squirrel and bird,

Mocking the human species for its inability

To adapt

And love them equally.

      not being grateful for kindly nature,

Only we try to please,

      To crave and hoard more ease

In place of restorative re-birth,

       living deeply on earth.

                                       Ellen Mass

Letting Go

After the grim reaper left us,

We sequester with less life of our own, aware, afraid.

Dreams dashed. We Let Go of past to see bleakness ahead.

Then hope of glowing inner spirit 

Cling to an open field with no horizons

Alive with life force

Return again 

Where love flows 

We animals will continue

Ellen Mass