Thank you for sharing about Walnut .. life and death .. as seen by others .. and so connected to how we humans see each other .. all so very different but often lumped together .. is it really true that if you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all? It reminds me of a scene in the film Harold & Maude where Maude says, “Each person is different, never existed before and never to exist again. Just like this daisy ..” .. and just like Walnut.
I remember feeling so angry when I read that original Reagan quote…a forest is made up of many, many singular trees, and an entire ecosystem that depends on them. His words felt like a way to distance the self from caring about deforestation or environmentalism by championing modern marvels as somehow more unique and important. I just had to refute it somehow, lol.
I’m sure there is a poetic or even biological argument for us all being made of the same materials, the same earth, the same basic building blocks reused over and over again…but that doesn’t mean you stop visiting the forest just because you’ve seen it once.
We all should be open to moments of awe and continue to experience and care for the world around us.
I so appreciate the poignancy that you portray Walnut and the inner monologue and questions posed of what it means to our world as a whole—what it means to be a witness. We really need more people to think more big picture. It’s not just one bird, or one group… the losses affect us all, even if we can’t see it yet. One day the consequences will harm us, too, if not then the next generations. Is it worth it?
THANK YOU💗 the big picture is difficult to wrap my brain around sometimes; I’m often swept up in the current of my own life and needs. This piece felt like a way to practice grieving the larger losses of climate change by focusing on the singular, if that makes sense? I’m not sure I’ll ever stop writing bird poems at this rate lol
Thank you for sharing about Walnut .. life and death .. as seen by others .. and so connected to how we humans see each other .. all so very different but often lumped together .. is it really true that if you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all? It reminds me of a scene in the film Harold & Maude where Maude says, “Each person is different, never existed before and never to exist again. Just like this daisy ..” .. and just like Walnut.
I love that you related this to Harold & Maude! 💗
I remember feeling so angry when I read that original Reagan quote…a forest is made up of many, many singular trees, and an entire ecosystem that depends on them. His words felt like a way to distance the self from caring about deforestation or environmentalism by championing modern marvels as somehow more unique and important. I just had to refute it somehow, lol.
I’m sure there is a poetic or even biological argument for us all being made of the same materials, the same earth, the same basic building blocks reused over and over again…but that doesn’t mean you stop visiting the forest just because you’ve seen it once.
We all should be open to moments of awe and continue to experience and care for the world around us.
I so appreciate the poignancy that you portray Walnut and the inner monologue and questions posed of what it means to our world as a whole—what it means to be a witness. We really need more people to think more big picture. It’s not just one bird, or one group… the losses affect us all, even if we can’t see it yet. One day the consequences will harm us, too, if not then the next generations. Is it worth it?
Great piece Megan!
THANK YOU💗 the big picture is difficult to wrap my brain around sometimes; I’m often swept up in the current of my own life and needs. This piece felt like a way to practice grieving the larger losses of climate change by focusing on the singular, if that makes sense? I’m not sure I’ll ever stop writing bird poems at this rate lol