Ark

 Ark

Karel Reus: April 2023 Set theme "Ark” for the Blooming Bards meeting: 27-04-2023

A climate-change dreaming

 

Tell-tale signs

of climactic change are lapping at

the gangplank

of the master Ark-ivist’s

much derided life-boat.

 

The insistent waves

beat counterpoint upon his hopes.

It seemed worthwhile

when he started this dream-begotten task

but now his collecting distracts him from the real job.

 

Whatever that may be…

 

He consults his checklist.

“Let’s see, now…..

Has he missed anything commended by his dreams?

Has he collected:

 

  •         Some that squeal:  Check
  •         Some that growl:  Check
  •         Some that tweet:  Check
  •         Some that grunt:  Check
  •         Some that hustle:  Check
  •         Some that cringe:  Check
  •         Some with no discernible purpose: Check
  •         Some with no redeeming features: Check
  •         Some that go “woof”:  Check
  •         Some that purr:  Check
  •         Some that slither:  Check
  •         Some that drool:  Check
  •         Some that go bump in the night:  Check
  •         Some for the stable:  Check
  •         Some for the table:  Check.

“Oh dear; where did I put that rat?”


How burdensome

are his labours — it seemed such good idea at the time

now it’s hard

to recall the sense of it

and the mystery weighs him down.

 

On his clipboard

is another checklist of items

that could be worth saving:

 

  •         A poem or two (or more): Check
  •         A few lofty thoughts: Check
  •         A dozen or so lost causes: Check
  •         A multiplicity of unread mission statements: Check
  •         A grab-bag of worthy intentions: Check
  •         A sprinkling of plans: Check
  •         A few threadbare politicians: Check
  •         One or two evangelists past their use-by date: Check
  •         Some family chatter and give and take: Check
  •         A bunch of memories: Check
  •         A bag-full of dreams: Check
  •         Heaps of contagious love: Check

 

All sorted,

catalogued, accessible, available,

for the day

when this cacophonous collection

will be the basis of a world reborn.

 

Oh — and don’t forget the kids!

 

“Please Dad,

read us a story – we’re bored.”

His reply:

“Stop cuddling those bloody rabbits and lend a hand.

Daddy’s busy rescuing the past and birthing a future.”

 

So it is

with us earnest redeemers:

we forget to love —


 Link to Word document



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