Footsteps
my horse has the finest feet in the herd, in the land
he can run on grass and stone and snow
blood pumping with each step
blood flowing through his body
each mark he makes upon the ground
is an entire world
that says
here I am
just try to stop me
there is no stopping him
he says
I need no machine to propel me
on my way
and everything
to me
is enough
he says
that everything
that the earth gives
to me
is enough
today i woke up
and looked up
at the white canvas
that has been my rounded home for the last 6 months
I am sad to be leaving
its gently flapping shelter
in the wind
it's shadows at night
when the moon is out
where I wake up at the witching hour
and watch herds of horses
I will never know
moving overhead
and dream and vision of things
that may
or may not
be
its gently flapping shelter
in the wind
it's shadows at night
when the moon is out
where I wake up at the witching hour
and watch herds of horses
I will never know
moving overhead
and dream and vision of things
that may
or may not
be
the so needed embrace of loved ones
will be on me soon
and the beginning of travelling
to far off places
to near off places
back to this place
eventually
will be on me soon
and the beginning of travelling
to far off places
to near off places
back to this place
eventually
where
slow movement and quiet careful stepping
will take the place of jets and cars and trains
slow movement and quiet careful stepping
will take the place of jets and cars and trains
where
I can look to find those herds
that come to visit at three or four or two
in the morning
calling and suggesting
but never promising
I can look to find those herds
that come to visit at three or four or two
in the morning
calling and suggesting
but never promising
this summer of rain
this summer of rain now becoming the autumn of rain that was the spring of rain
in the prairies
there are thousands and thousands of rosehips
where once there were thousands and thousands of wild rose flowers
this summer
there were no choke cherries
there were no saskatoon berries
this small prairie valley
with its ancient grass and stone
shields from the truth
of the world
gives a respite
a time to have a breath
to think of what must be
but isn't
now it is close to being time to leave
this place
a return soon will come
but in the meantime
all must
all must
all must
change
this summer of rain now becoming the autumn of rain that was the spring of rain
in the prairies
there are thousands and thousands of rosehips
where once there were thousands and thousands of wild rose flowers
this summer
there were no choke cherries
there were no saskatoon berries
this small prairie valley
with its ancient grass and stone
shields from the truth
of the world
gives a respite
a time to have a breath
to think of what must be
but isn't
now it is close to being time to leave
this place
a return soon will come
but in the meantime
all must
all must
all must
change
Against the tyranny of
the written word
the written note
the written thought
the written word
the written note
the written thought
if the people could read about
a life
a thought
a moment
in a footprint
could they not also read the music of
a place in the clouds
the wind
the way a tree sways
a river runs
THIS is the language of all living and speaking
and where
our own arrogance of percieved power cannot
even
ever
in the end
move a leaf
to fall
upon the earth
a life
a thought
a moment
in a footprint
could they not also read the music of
a place in the clouds
the wind
the way a tree sways
a river runs
THIS is the language of all living and speaking
and where
our own arrogance of percieved power cannot
even
ever
in the end
move a leaf
to fall
upon the earth
Who is asking the wind?
Wind
Water
Earth
Resource
Nomad
Entitlement
Ownership
Water
Earth
Resource
Nomad
Entitlement
Ownership
Question: Is anyone asking permission of the wind to treat it and use it
as a resource?
as a resource?
Some dear friends living in a beautiful coulee near Pincher Creek in S.W. Alberta.
field to the west of them lies a large wind farm
The turbines are massive structures dominating the sky
The Calgary transit system gets a major part of their power from wind farms
Striking in a province that holds the oil industry as a holy see.
field to the west of them lies a large wind farm
The turbines are massive structures dominating the sky
The Calgary transit system gets a major part of their power from wind farms
Striking in a province that holds the oil industry as a holy see.
Summer 2008
a few bat biologists at the field
discovered that the change in air pressure
beneath the turning windmill blades is
bursting the bats' lungs or maybe it's collapsing
delicate respiratory systems
Thousands and thousands of deaths
The researchers' suggestion was that during the bat migration period, the windmills not be set to start up until the wind reached a certain speed that the bats don't fly around in. The windmill company, who funded the study is, apparently, implementing their findings. I am sad to say that my pessimism is so entrenched that that fact came as a surprise to me. In spite of my surprise, I remain sceptical. More goodwill will need to be shown. More bats will need to live.
a few bat biologists at the field
discovered that the change in air pressure
beneath the turning windmill blades is
bursting the bats' lungs or maybe it's collapsing
delicate respiratory systems
Thousands and thousands of deaths
The researchers' suggestion was that during the bat migration period, the windmills not be set to start up until the wind reached a certain speed that the bats don't fly around in. The windmill company, who funded the study is, apparently, implementing their findings. I am sad to say that my pessimism is so entrenched that that fact came as a surprise to me. In spite of my surprise, I remain sceptical. More goodwill will need to be shown. More bats will need to live.
Question: Why didn't the windmill company know that their operation was going to be smack in the middle of a bat migratory path?
One Answer: no true connection to the land that they were occupying. If the people of the company lived on the land for generations, it is likely that they would have know that bats migrated/lived there at certain times of the year. It is also possible that if they lived on that land for generations – I mean truly lived on that land, in the deepest sense – that they would not consider for one moment putting a wind farm on that land. Or digging coal out of it or pumping crude out of it or sucking gas out of it.
Wind farms rate pretty high on the environmental hit list of things that we ought to be doing about future energy needs. Of course, there is opposition from people that don't want their view wrecked, from those that are affected by the vibrations from the wind moving through the turbines. These concerns are often put down as simply self-centred. Against community
Ownership/Entitlement/ResourceMany nowadays might agree that the wholesale destruction of a forest ecosystem is wrong. Many won't. Oil out of the ground
Coal
no one wants it in their backyard. Sour gas H2S
well there have been multiple bombings in British Columbia by some/one/many? not willing to put up with that
Coal
no one wants it in their backyard. Sour gas H2S
well there have been multiple bombings in British Columbia by some/one/many? not willing to put up with that
The wind. The wind. Is anyone asking if they may take the wind?
Wind power
a great aura of hope for the future.
of a culture to just take the wind
to clear cut a forest to
dig out sand full of tar
to level a mountain to last grasp coal
a great aura of hope for the future.
of a culture to just take the wind
to clear cut a forest to
dig out sand full of tar
to level a mountain to last grasp coal
The driving influence
the environmental movement
the movement to keep things the way they are and get away with it
the environmental movement
the movement to keep things the way they are and get away with it
Assumptions
we have the right to make use of any part of the earth that we want
resource thick with assumption
we have the right to make use of any part of the earth that we want
resource thick with assumption
Environment, deep ecology, 70s onward
References: John A Livingston - Rogue Primate, David Ehrenfeld - The Arrogance of Humanism, Derrick Jensen – Endgame & Walking on Water, Hugh Brody - The Other Side of Eden, David Abram – The Spell of the Sensuous
Environment, the environment, whose environment? what environment?
The term environment
is a relative term.
We must save OUR environment
John A Livingston and others have said that the environmental movement is little more than an effort to keep things where they are and get away with it. Livingston said this decades ago and in a CBC Ideas radio interview said that he can not, will not call himself an environmentalist
Truly, he was a naturalist of the deepest sort how
I wish that I had had the chance to meet him
The term environment
is a relative term.
We must save OUR environment
John A Livingston and others have said that the environmental movement is little more than an effort to keep things where they are and get away with it. Livingston said this decades ago and in a CBC Ideas radio interview said that he can not, will not call himself an environmentalist
Truly, he was a naturalist of the deepest sort how
I wish that I had had the chance to meet him
Who killed the electric car?
fuck
I'll kill the electric car
The roads that it rolls on
a highway might as well be a fence says the daor Mark Connell
keep the wild at bay and away
from it's given paths
ultimate new green way
technology gone good
electric car
Here we are back to coal
peeling back mountains to grease up our hands
to power 4 wheels and a box
fuck
I'll kill the electric car
The roads that it rolls on
a highway might as well be a fence says the daor Mark Connell
keep the wild at bay and away
from it's given paths
ultimate new green way
technology gone good
electric car
Here we are back to coal
peeling back mountains to grease up our hands
to power 4 wheels and a box
wind, solar,
no harm at all
except the mine, the industry, the polluted water, earth
blessed technology
to make
no harm at all
except the mine, the industry, the polluted water, earth
blessed technology
to make
the wind … solar … for that matter, who is asking the Sun?
is the Sahara ok with Europe putting their reflective selves
on the sand
the power that will be forever
there is nothing there anyways
they say
not knowing that what is barren above
teems below
is the Sahara ok with Europe putting their reflective selves
on the sand
the power that will be forever
there is nothing there anyways
they say
not knowing that what is barren above
teems below
arrogance
entitlement shocking.
the shame is profound
and deep
entitlement shocking.
the shame is profound
and deep
nomad
Is the nomad a traveler?
one that knows the land
the ground
that the bird sees
from so many points of view
the scent of spring
the raw earth
brings the new place
the time to move
to the summer Someone to whom the wind
speaks and tells
Asks
but moves on without
an answer Is this traveling or being in the same
- Place?
What is someone who drives for 1,2,3,4 hours a day to a job? not knowing the land that they put their tread imprint upon? At all
can't go back Can't go back
what that means in truth?
go forward? Forward to where ?
The death of the oceans? The air? The land? The lakes and rivers? To ever deepening magical technological interventions? To climate war? To nuclear war? To authoritarian governments?
Is the nomad a traveler?
one that knows the land
the ground
that the bird sees
from so many points of view
the scent of spring
the raw earth
brings the new place
the time to move
to the summer Someone to whom the wind
speaks and tells
Asks
but moves on without
an answer Is this traveling or being in the same
- Place?
What is someone who drives for 1,2,3,4 hours a day to a job? not knowing the land that they put their tread imprint upon? At all
can't go back Can't go back
what that means in truth?
go forward? Forward to where ?
The death of the oceans? The air? The land? The lakes and rivers? To ever deepening magical technological interventions? To climate war? To nuclear war? To authoritarian governments?
we certainly can go back to any of the sort
mentioned above
stone age living
better than you can imagine
obviously
mentioned above
stone age living
better than you can imagine
obviously
A number of years ago I made a pledge to devote the rest of my life, my work to finding a way back/forward to a way of being with the wild earth.
As Derrick Jensen so beautifully says it and I here respectfully and with honour, steal. I have hammered in my picket pin and will not move until the world that I love is saved. I present my life to that cause and I cannot be stopped. I can not be stopped
As Derrick Jensen so beautifully says it and I here respectfully and with honour, steal. I have hammered in my picket pin and will not move until the world that I love is saved. I present my life to that cause and I cannot be stopped. I can not be stopped
I think of dear Kate
a dancer a choreographer
a question
how would I be able to dance?
I reckon we can just start moving our feet
Now
wherever you and I happen to be and we will
take it from there
a dancer a choreographer
a question
how would I be able to dance?
I reckon we can just start moving our feet
Now
wherever you and I happen to be and we will
take it from there
The Sun is banked
held warm and tight each year i fall deeper and i revel in my stupor |
The Sun is banked
held warm and tight Today I am torn by steel meanness, without kindness or a memory of the fineness of lives long spent | The Sun is banked held warm and tight The tearers ancestors sit and bow their heads in shame that such liberties might be taken and time forsaken - written for The Bankhead Project, 2009 |
we walked forever to find some water
I hold in my hand an egg of sand
we walked forever to find some water
I hold in my hand an egg of sand
we walked forever to find some water
the water in the river had slowed to a shiver
the water I held in my hand was this egg of sand
the water I held in my hand was this egg of sand
The sun released has taken all the water
and all that is left is in this egg of sand
that I hold in my hand that I give to you
so that you might stand so that you might remember
and all that is left is in this egg of sand
that I hold in my hand that I give to you
so that you might stand so that you might remember
salmon tree feeding
my body will feed you
my body tired and shredded
will help you live
to tell the story of how
my life is your life
and you will grow so
tall and long in time
my body will feed you
my body tired and shredded
will help you live
to tell the story of how
my life is your life
and you will grow so
tall and long in time
my body
my body will feed you
my short life
in this water
will be within you
and my children
will remember
where to come back
to find you
my body will feed you
my short life
in this water
will be within you
and my children
will remember
where to come back
to find you
i promise all this
but i cannot find you anymore
it is now lost to me
but i cannot find you anymore
it is now lost to me
The Wind
My home is in the sky the wind My thoughts swing beats talk to the wind The trees dance to breathe in the wind |
Tetanus
I fell
I busted my shoulder
They gave me a tetanus shot
At the hospital
I fell
I busted my shoulder
They gave me a tetanus shot
At the hospital
I couldn't remember when my last one was
Maybe
If I hadn't fallen
I would have stepped
Onto
A rusty nail
With no tetanus
Shot
If I hadn't fallen
I would have stepped
Onto
A rusty nail
With no tetanus
Shot
when we first played
together
your kindness was fine
your affection full
and rich
another spirit entered
and your kindness left
me
and i missed your self
i saw it again
on occasion
mostly when smoke
or uisce
offered
your love
again
together
your kindness was fine
your affection full
and rich
another spirit entered
and your kindness left
me
and i missed your self
i saw it again
on occasion
mostly when smoke
or uisce
offered
your love
again
Decisions
I can't decide
Will I always love the wind … Or not
I can't decide
Would I rather be a wolf than a human … Or not
I can't decide
Would I rather be a Puma than a wolf … Or not
I can't decide
Would I rather be a Raven than a Puma … Or not
I can't decide
Would I rather be an old White Pine than a Raven … Or not
I can't decide
Would I rather be a great big Rock than an old White Pine … Or not
I can't decide
Would I rather be a River than a great big Rock … Or not
I can't decide
Would I rather be a wild Salmon than a River … Or not
I can't decide
Would I rather be an Eagle than a wild Salmon … Or not
I can't decide
Will I always love the wind … Or not
I can't decide
Would I rather be a wolf than a human … Or not
I can't decide
Would I rather be a Puma than a wolf … Or not
I can't decide
Would I rather be a Raven than a Puma … Or not
I can't decide
Would I rather be an old White Pine than a Raven … Or not
I can't decide
Would I rather be a great big Rock than an old White Pine … Or not
I can't decide
Would I rather be a River than a great big Rock … Or not
I can't decide
Would I rather be a wild Salmon than a River … Or not
I can't decide
Would I rather be an Eagle than a wild Salmon … Or not
If I was the Eagle I would eat
the Salmon that lives in the River
that erodes the great big Rock where
the Old White Pine lives that
the Raven roosts on
that the Puma up and down climbs
that the Wolf chases her kill from
that makes the human dream
of being the Raven
the Salmon that lives in the River
that erodes the great big Rock where
the Old White Pine lives that
the Raven roosts on
that the Puma up and down climbs
that the Wolf chases her kill from
that makes the human dream
of being the Raven
I can't decide
Does the land care at all … Or not
Does the land care at all … Or not
When I am gone
My spirit
keeps me light on the earth
And when I am gone
my body
heavy with matter
Will soak the ground
My spirit
keeps me light on the earth
And when I am gone
my body
heavy with matter
Will soak the ground
When the earth takes
the ooze of my body
I will dance
with the light that sparkles
on the water
I will feel the sound
of the wind
in the pines
I will rest in the down
of the raven that
circled me this morning
I will taste
the scents
of my home
in every part of
my self
I will stick to the green
pine
cone
that drops to the ground helped
by the squirrel
I will be tossed
rolling past the
deer fucking and pulled
inside the doe's womb
I will be born running and challenge the wind to a
great race
And my hoofs will thunder across the valley
and be a testament to
my spirit
my place
On this earth
the ooze of my body
I will dance
with the light that sparkles
on the water
I will feel the sound
of the wind
in the pines
I will rest in the down
of the raven that
circled me this morning
I will taste
the scents
of my home
in every part of
my self
I will stick to the green
pine
cone
that drops to the ground helped
by the squirrel
I will be tossed
rolling past the
deer fucking and pulled
inside the doe's womb
I will be born running and challenge the wind to a
great race
And my hoofs will thunder across the valley
and be a testament to
my spirit
my place
On this earth
I cannot be stopped.
I was born in the mists
:::: My name is Skuld:::: She who is becoming she who becomes :::: I live in the transitions the transitions between animal and human and amimal :::: between meadow and forest between ground and sky between female and male between thought and movement between joy and anguish between :::: I exist to show progress endless craving for more for destruction all will come to it's end must :::: it all does not matter end choice is one for the whole not the one the choice is to walk the path to the end when it may come with honour and compassion for all the earth the ground the air the water especially for the tiniest to the mast massive all choice includes all :::: This is how it is this is how it may be ::::
:::: My name is Skuld:::: She who is becoming she who becomes :::: I live in the transitions the transitions between animal and human and amimal :::: between meadow and forest between ground and sky between female and male between thought and movement between joy and anguish between :::: I exist to show progress endless craving for more for destruction all will come to it's end must :::: it all does not matter end choice is one for the whole not the one the choice is to walk the path to the end when it may come with honour and compassion for all the earth the ground the air the water especially for the tiniest to the mast massive all choice includes all :::: This is how it is this is how it may be ::::
:::: I was born in mists in the myths out of the animal I oozed not wanting nt thinking not seeing not taking my language was the language of all the living but the people changed they started to think less of themselves they thought that they were different and I th e myth was dragged with their thoughts unwilling I believed that it could not be that I was to go with them but so it was :::: My new form was brought to the fore I lived I killed I ate I fought how much I fought and killed I cannot say none could defeat me all feared me and bowed before me :::: I killed with clear eyes. I fought the people I fought for the people I fought the people :::: The deer I killed I killed I ate the deer I thanked and cried for the deer :::: Over the people who kill as they own I cared not of their ending ::::
:::: For many skies for many years I lived this way between the two but still loyal to my true self my true past :::: and we all could soar an fiach dubh we were in the old language the black bird the raven the wolf was our friend :::: Now I am lost I cannot find the way I see as the people see and I am ashamed and yet I can still remember the way distant though it is :::: I left the old land the old language that I had come to know to love i left on the final days when I could remember to be an fiach dubh we were in the old language the black bird the raven the wolf was our friend :::: And to the new land I found a home for a short time I could be who I am who I was but that land too succumbed to the ways and now I am here on the ground and for so long have been so :::: As the people go so must I :::: No more No more No more ::::
Fences
So
What do I have to say about fences
There's not much of them in the north
Protecting small gardens more interested in surviving the frost
Than a lack of liberty
So
What do I have to say about fences
There's not much of them in the north
Protecting small gardens more interested in surviving the frost
Than a lack of liberty
So
There's lots in the prairies the plains
Some geographical mostly wire
Four rows smooth if it's kind
barbed to draw blood from interloapers if not
Three and half feet high
Low enough to step over unless it's got a current
The Deer simply leap over it
The antelope simply under it
Not a barrier at all
Horses can't jump it much
Buffalo can't jump it at all
I'll bet they could trample it though
In their millions
Crushed into rusted
Twisted piles
Occasionally snaring an unsuspecting leg or hoof
There's lots in the prairies the plains
Some geographical mostly wire
Four rows smooth if it's kind
barbed to draw blood from interloapers if not
Three and half feet high
Low enough to step over unless it's got a current
The Deer simply leap over it
The antelope simply under it
Not a barrier at all
Horses can't jump it much
Buffalo can't jump it at all
I'll bet they could trample it though
In their millions
Crushed into rusted
Twisted piles
Occasionally snaring an unsuspecting leg or hoof
Please
People
Dance that dance
That brings
Them back from the Ghostlands
So I can ride
Un hindered
Un encumbered
People
Dance that dance
That brings
Them back from the Ghostlands
So I can ride
Un hindered
Un encumbered
Like I do in my dreams
expected
What's expected
is diverted
In one last gasp
last grope
last grasp
of the expected
What's expected
is diverted
In one last gasp
last grope
last grasp
of the expected
I allowed myself to see
what could lie before me
what could lie before me
Truly
nothing arrived
as I put forth
tried to will into being
nothing arrived
as I put forth
tried to will into being
I fell
I broke
was alone
tried to dream two horses
towards my path
but they refused
not convinced
that I
could lead
them
I broke
was alone
tried to dream two horses
towards my path
but they refused
not convinced
that I
could lead
them
For Madeline
Lift your head
Little one
Lift your head
Lift your head
Little one
Lift your head
See your beauty
And your strength
And your strength
The thoughts of those you love, loved
Layered upon you
Were not for you
They were for them
They didn't know how to
Behave differently
In the end they saw
Who you are
Layered upon you
Were not for you
They were for them
They didn't know how to
Behave differently
In the end they saw
Who you are
Perhaps
Believe
And they still love you still
If you could show yourself
What you have shown me
You could not doubt yourself
Not for one moment
What you have shown me
You could not doubt yourself
Not for one moment
elements
Elements of despair
here and there
I step out to see
the sun
and must walk a ways
Elements of despair
here and there
I step out to see
the sun
and must walk a ways
I try not to stray
too much
because there is such
Joy if I can
Stop
In that Perfect
Spot
too much
because there is such
Joy if I can
Stop
In that Perfect
Spot
Nomad
Is the nomad a traveler?
one that knows the land
the ground
that the bird sees
from so many points
Is the nomad a traveler?
one that knows the land
the ground
that the bird sees
from so many points
of view
the scent of spring
the raw earth
brings the new place
the time to move
to the summer
the scent of spring
the raw earth
brings the new place
the time to move
to the summer
Someone to whom the wind
speaks and tells
Asks
but moves on without
an answer
speaks and tells
Asks
but moves on without
an answer
Is this traveling
or being in the same
Place?
or being in the same
Place?
Recipe for a new world
Take 4 equal parts from the earth, the sky, the air & the water
Mix that together until a beautiful or a nasty sound comes out
Or a combination of the two
Take 4 equal parts from the earth, the sky, the air & the water
Mix that together until a beautiful or a nasty sound comes out
Or a combination of the two
With eyes closed, continue stirring for a minimum of 10 minutes but do not stop until you hear that you are being lied to from every corner of our world
Open your eyes and see what you see
Be sure to take what you've made
Wherever you go.
Wherever you go.
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