A Blot on the Landscape

Cherry

By Silver Spun Sand

Fri, 13 Mar 2015
  • 1845 reads
6 comments
 
A covey of partridge huddles together
like dumplings in mulligatawny soup,
scurrying to hide in the thicket, as in swoop
a kill of bright-eyed seagull, glaringly white
against brown-frowning hills, voicing a disapproval
in the only way they know how; white standing out
like a big, fat sore thumb – not the right garb –
so totally out of place, here...
 
but hardly surprising...much of rural Britain,
clothed in the garish garb of a rubbish-tip; plastic
bags, and French-fry cartons, polystyrene packing
and the indomitable Coke can, where these
aggressive birds get rich pickings – first come,
first served.  
 
So much has changed since our fathers farmed 
this land...when the lapwing reigned, supreme...
where dozens and dozens of dead badgers 
desecrate the side of the road, to just one
squashed hedgehog...where the fox is more 
at home in London, raiding bins
than here in these fields...
 
fields that clash and jar with the senses...
commit common assault on the three ‘Rs’.
Relishing, Raising, Reaping...as does the violent yellow 
of Rape offend the soft-shoe shuffle of a mild-mannered May,
albeit for a, 'flash in the pan', cash-crops’ sake.
 
And what of the day
when we wake up and say, ‘Man...
what, in heaven's name,
have we done?’
 
Certificate PG
Poem
Silver Spun Sand Poems
Nature
Opinion

Comments

Submitted by hilary west on

This starts off very poetically and then becomes a plea for a return to the good old days when rural fields were just that, not litter-strewn messes. I agree wholeheartedly with your feelings, too many people don't care about the environment. I always recycle but I know some are too lazy to do even this!

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, Hilary...a bunchsmiley

SSS

 

Submitted by tibi popovici on

A lovely "plastic" description of rural Britain, Tina smiley But you make a very important point here wink

Like it!

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thank you, Tibi.     That was indeed my aim, as I am lucky (or unlucky, as the case may be) to be totally surrounded by it, and in the fourteen years since I put down my roots I have seen many changes to the wildlife and to the landscape itself, some for the better, but by far most for the worst.

Tina

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

there's a good flow to this Tina, and it shows an awareness of so many issues, and thoughtulness, and teasing out thoughtfulness in a fun way in the reader, too.

I suppose every country faces the pressures of short term and individual economic  needs against possible damage to the environment. There do seem to be some moves to better things helping farmers conserve skylarks, 'wild field' borders etc. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Strange you should say that, Rhiannon, about the skylarks.  I noticed a sharp decline in their numbers in their numbers, until about two years ago, when they seem to have returned with a vengeance, thank goodness.  Also the introduction of the red kite, some years ago now.  Unfortunately, many, including farmers, are rueing the day.  And as for oilseed rape, more and more fields are being used for this, and last year, the farmer next door to me planted a crop for the first time in fifteen years. I hope he doesn't do the same this year, as unfortunately it gives me terrible hayfeversmiley

As for wild borders, they are increasing in number, and indeed part of my little plot, and the hedges, are given over to 'doing their own thing', and already there has been a surge in the UK butterfly population.  So it isn't all bad, but we do have to tread so carefully, without of course, disturbing the natural way of things.

Your thoughts, as ever, highly valued, especially on such a subject.  Thank you.

Tina