Save the Planet say poets old and young
Save the Planet! As we begin a new year 2025 the topic of climate change continues to cause concern. Expressed in their own verse, local residents old and young share the hope that governments of the world will unite to agree and implement positive Global Climate Action
Long-term local resident Ron Goodfellow’s poem is followed by two poems from the opposite end of the age spectrum as young children from Sunday School at St Mary’s spell out the threats to our natural world. After that, Save the Planet is urged upon us in poems from Steve Cotterell and Rosemary Ann Lathey, local residents and octogenarians both.
Photo: The Northern Lights in Lapland, Finland, December 2024.
Save the Planet! As we begin a new year 2025 the topic of climate change continues to cause concern. Expressed in their own verse, local residents old and young share the hope that governments of the world will unite to agree and implement positive Global Climate Action
Long-term local resident Ron Goodfellow’s poem is followed by two poems from the opposite end of the age spectrum as young children from Sunday School at St Mary’s spell out the threats to our natural world. After that, Save the Planet is urged upon us in poems from Steve Cotterell and Rosemary Ann Lathey, local residents and octogenarians both.
Photo: The Northern Lights in Lapland, Finland, December 2024.
Reaching Eighty-Five
When I reached 85 it was great to be alive.
From an early age the world was a stage.
Still sound in mind if not in body
One continues with the journey.
NHS: well done, you did your best,
Checking the plumbing and the rest.
Travels have taken me afar
From London to Aqaba
Working on the land and sea:
Climates hot, cold and dusty.
Travel, it says, broadens the mind:
Exciting places and scenery to find.
Whatever country you may visit
It’s the people that make it or break it.
My travelling days now over,
I only go as far as Dover.
Now Climate Change, in rain, winds and temperature
There may not be a need to travel any more?
Dear friends of Orpington for your next vacation
You have the choice to consider a staycation.
***
So these memories will remain
I write all of them down again.
As you get older you remember the best.
Putting the younger generation to the test:
Perhaps making the world greener
Should come sooner not later.
Ron Goodfellow
When I reached 85 it was great to be alive.
From an early age the world was a stage.
Still sound in mind if not in body
One continues with the journey.
NHS: well done, you did your best,
Checking the plumbing and the rest.
Travels have taken me afar
From London to Aqaba
Working on the land and sea:
Climates hot, cold and dusty.
Travel, it says, broadens the mind:
Exciting places and scenery to find.
Whatever country you may visit
It’s the people that make it or break it.
My travelling days now over,
I only go as far as Dover.
Now Climate Change, in rain, winds and temperature
There may not be a need to travel any more?
Dear friends of Orpington for your next vacation
You have the choice to consider a staycation.
***
So these memories will remain
I write all of them down again.
As you get older you remember the best.
Putting the younger generation to the test:
Perhaps making the world greener
Should come sooner not later.
Ron Goodfellow
Populate
P: Public and Private help for endangered animals,
O: Ostrich, otter, owl, octopus and orang-utan,
P: Prepare then your important help for these
U: Unlucky species in our universe and
L: Learn how important and vital it is for them to survive.
A: Attacking these animals (poachers?) God has wanted them here. T: T: Thank you for your plastic patience or
E: ELSE the end of our Sea World!
Cormeagar Musa
Nature
N: Never forget the wonderful world God has given us.
A: All the species of animals and plants which are taken for granted.
T: The birds, the trees, everything, made by God.
U: Underwater species of fish, mammals and plants of beautiful colours. R: Rain, sun, snow so important for our planet. All the seasons of winter, spring, summer and autumn.
E: Every living thing God has made for us.
Sofii Harrison
These acrostic poems were composed by children of St Mary’s Church, St Mary Cray for ‘Environment Sunday’. They were published in The Crayfisher magazine in June 2018 and in the poetry anthology Beautiful Colours (Cray 150 Publications, 2018).
Photo: Elephant in South Africa. Credit: Steve Cotterell
P: Public and Private help for endangered animals,
O: Ostrich, otter, owl, octopus and orang-utan,
P: Prepare then your important help for these
U: Unlucky species in our universe and
L: Learn how important and vital it is for them to survive.
A: Attacking these animals (poachers?) God has wanted them here. T: T: Thank you for your plastic patience or
E: ELSE the end of our Sea World!
Cormeagar Musa
Nature
N: Never forget the wonderful world God has given us.
A: All the species of animals and plants which are taken for granted.
T: The birds, the trees, everything, made by God.
U: Underwater species of fish, mammals and plants of beautiful colours. R: Rain, sun, snow so important for our planet. All the seasons of winter, spring, summer and autumn.
E: Every living thing God has made for us.
Sofii Harrison
These acrostic poems were composed by children of St Mary’s Church, St Mary Cray for ‘Environment Sunday’. They were published in The Crayfisher magazine in June 2018 and in the poetry anthology Beautiful Colours (Cray 150 Publications, 2018).
Photo: Elephant in South Africa. Credit: Steve Cotterell
Burn, Forest, Burn
Burn, forest, burn: ignore political battle.
Burn, forest, burn: clear the land for cattle.
Burn, forest, burn: native folk don’t matter.
Burn, forest, burn: the rich are getting fatter.
Burn, forest, burn: in a land of milk and honey.
Burn, forest, burn: they’re making lots of money.
Burn, forest, burn: disregard our cries.
Burn, forest, burn: while all the wildlife dies.
Burn, forest, burn: they really do not care.
Burn, forest, burn: that we can’t breathe the air.
Burn, forest, burn: it’s getting far too late.
Burn, forest, burn: the gates of Hell await.
Steve Cotterell
The Angel that Cried
What have they done to her world down there?
She sees a throw away culture who really don’t care,
The oceans polluted, the fish nearly gone
The earth is now brown where the sun once shone.
The air’s now poisoned, dirty and hazy
And the folk down there have become very lazy
She looks down at the world that she had once called home,
She’s glad it’s up here that she’s destined to roam
Everything’s changed there since the day that she died,
For her family down there, she just sat down and cried.
Rosemary Ann Lathey
Burn, forest, burn: ignore political battle.
Burn, forest, burn: clear the land for cattle.
Burn, forest, burn: native folk don’t matter.
Burn, forest, burn: the rich are getting fatter.
Burn, forest, burn: in a land of milk and honey.
Burn, forest, burn: they’re making lots of money.
Burn, forest, burn: disregard our cries.
Burn, forest, burn: while all the wildlife dies.
Burn, forest, burn: they really do not care.
Burn, forest, burn: that we can’t breathe the air.
Burn, forest, burn: it’s getting far too late.
Burn, forest, burn: the gates of Hell await.
Steve Cotterell
The Angel that Cried
What have they done to her world down there?
She sees a throw away culture who really don’t care,
The oceans polluted, the fish nearly gone
The earth is now brown where the sun once shone.
The air’s now poisoned, dirty and hazy
And the folk down there have become very lazy
She looks down at the world that she had once called home,
She’s glad it’s up here that she’s destined to roam
Everything’s changed there since the day that she died,
For her family down there, she just sat down and cried.
Rosemary Ann Lathey
Man's contribution to nature.
Words and photo by Richard DJJ Bowdery from the poetry anthology Our Covid Calendar (Cray 150 Publications, 2021).
Richard’s poetry book let sleeping dogs stand (Cray 150 Publications, 2023) can be purchased at the Croft Tea Room. So too Steve Cotterell’s poetry book who is this guy? (Scotrix, 2023)
Words and photo by Richard DJJ Bowdery from the poetry anthology Our Covid Calendar (Cray 150 Publications, 2021).
Richard’s poetry book let sleeping dogs stand (Cray 150 Publications, 2023) can be purchased at the Croft Tea Room. So too Steve Cotterell’s poetry book who is this guy? (Scotrix, 2023)