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Do it now

It may not be the Thames or the seine

But let’s drag and pull out the cups and the bottles

The supermarket trolleys

The bikes

Last year’s thing

In last year’s colour

Along with the bodies

The rats and the occasional drowned cat

The bag of kittens

A scarf or a hat

A left-handed mitten

 

Let’s empty the canal

The rushing river

Let’s pick out the litter

Of countless generations

Dredge the gutters and the alleys

Of the plasterboard bricks and burnt out remains

Of tyres and cigarettes

 

All the detritus

Of the concentrated effort of self-destruction

Let’s stop and sort

Rehouse and recycle

The combines and the tractors

Left in fields

The dying death of another age

 

Let’s not drown in a sea of filth and excrement

The discarded soaps and potions

That so many empty bottles that litter the oceans

Let’s not bury out to sea

In a place where we and others might swim and pee

Let’s love ourselves

And all that we use

In where we live

Let’s do it

Let’s do it now

Let’s fall in love

With life for the living

YES, you and me

◄ Close enounters of the third kind

Mr and Mrs Death ►

Comments

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Martin Elder

Fri 28th Feb 2020 22:03

Thanks Hannah and Don for reading and commenting. I occasionally get these words that come to me regarding something of the moment.
Much appreciated

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Don Matthews

Thu 27th Feb 2020 21:59

'sadly we have grown up in a society that has deemed anything and anybody ( but that is a bigger story all on its own) is all to easily disposable.'

Sad but true.......

<Deleted User> (18118)

Thu 27th Feb 2020 20:47

This is a fantastic piece of writing.
An anthem to what is going on.
One I shall return to.

Hannah

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Martin Elder

Tue 11th Feb 2020 08:29

Thanks to Binte for liking
and Thanks to Ray Tom and Brian for you welcome comments. sadly we have grown up in a society that has deemed anything and anybody ( but that is a bigger story all on its own) is all to easily disposable.
Ray I totally agree with you about canals. certainly round where I live in the North west some canals have been well looked after and a number have been cleaned up and cleared. My wife and I have often wondered what narrow boat living would be like. But we have so much stuff!!

Tom
thank you . I do believe that we ought to look at every aspect of our lives. It always saddens me when I see tractors or farm equipment in the corner of fields just rusting away

Brian
I am afraid a lot of young people and some older people are lost in their own worlds in their phones, totally oblivious to then outside world. But it is nice to cycle down the tow paths I agree.

Thanks again Chaps
Martin

<Deleted User> (18980)

Mon 10th Feb 2020 12:47

Good piece Martin.

I appreciate our local canal (Worcester-Birmingham) as a way of cycling into Worcester city centre traffic free. Not too many walkers, though my bell is very useful. Annoyingly, young folk with headphones on and walking away from me are completely oblivious to any external noise so I have to come up alongside them and tap them on the shoulder.

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Tom

Mon 10th Feb 2020 12:13

No one could deny such a sensible and rational call. Great writing Martin and, as Ray says, an engaging hint of humour too.

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raypool

Mon 10th Feb 2020 11:39

The attitude to canals has somewhat changed over the years, perhaps because of their easier access and their recreational factor Martin. It is just the tip of the fatberg as it were though.
Your writing just strays into a grim humour, which is always a good thing for me. Get your recycle T shirts now (recyclable of course).

Ray

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