Conservation Note for May

Conservation Committee Note for May

Mother Earth in the Time of Corona

This month, in honor of the 50th anniversary year of Earth Day, the Conservation Committee would like to share a poem to Mother Earth by Nadine Anne Hura, posted by the Prime Minister of New Zealand.

As you read her poem, please take a moment to imagine what our world would be like if every nation’s leader addressed our Mother Earth with such love and respect.  As we emerge from this terrible pandemic, let us hope we do not resume our lives as they were.  Let us hope we can redefine a “good economy” not as one that maximizes GDP, but one which strives to achieve the smallest possible GDP that will permit us to be fed and sheltered and enjoy our lives on earth.  Let us hope we will continue to produce less, consume less, waste less.  Let us hope we have seen what a difference we made by our changed behavior during this pandemic, and have noticed how many lives have been saved by the lessening of pollution in the air we breathe.  Let us hope we emerge from this pandemic feeling empowered and determined to deal with climate change, and ready to treat our Mother Earth and all her life with the love and respect she deserves.

 

A poem shared by Jacinda Adern,
the prime minister of New Zealand to Papatuanuku (Mother Earth)

Rest now, e Papatuanuku
Breathe easy and settle
Right here where you are
We’ll not move upon you
For awhile

We’ll stop, we’ll cease
We’ll slow down and stay home

Draw each other close and be kind
Kinder than we’ve ever been.
I wish we could say we were doing it for you
as much as ourselves

But hei aha

We’re doing it anyway

It’s right. It’s time.
Time to return
Time to remember
Time to listen and forgive
Time to withhold judgment
Time to cry
Time to think

About others

Remove our shoes
Press hands to soil
Sift grains between fingers

Gentle palms

Time to plant
Time to wait
Time to notice
To whom we belong

For now it’s just you
And the wind
And the forests and the oceans and the sky full of rain

Finally, it’s raining!

Ka turuturu te wai kamo o Rangi ki runga i a koe

Embrace it

This sacrifice of solitude we have carved out for you

He iti noaiho – a small offering
People always said it wasn’t possible
To ground flights and stay home and stop our habits of consumption

But it was
It always was.

We were just afraid of how much it was going to hurt
– and it IS hurting and it will hurt and continue to hurt
But not as much as you have been hurt.

So be still now

Wrap your hills around our absence
Loosen the concrete belt cinched tight at your waist

Rest.
Breathe.
Recover.
Heal –

And we will do the same.

 

For the love of Mother Earth,
Wishing you all good health to carry you through the pandemic,
Your Conservation Committee