mountain

Callum Featherstone

Once, by the Mountainside

In Tibet, where a lonesome shepherd
held aloft his pointed staff of hope.

* Once, by the mountainside.

And, wished for a family
upon Heaven’s pedigree

unto — a flock of stars.

Once, with regret, within the jebel was a leopard
that from tangled tusks on antelope
was paint expansively
with dusky, camouflaging scars.

A wooden cudgel,
rod, shillelagh
carved with a galaxy’s belief.

Can prove enough
protection ably
to break a mountain leopard’s teeth.

Once, by the mountainside.

For, while the herdsman’s
back was turned
through the bushes
crop did creep.

That mountain leopard’s
hunger spurred
on by rustling
starry sights of sheep.

As the cosh, it clubbed and clanged
a panther’s chime, soon mute
rang out with spirit’s rise.

Once, by the mountainside.

A proud and deadly beast, defanged
round a neck, was loot
for havoc’s hollow prize.

Now, protected sheep, they graze.
Their herd it crowds and multiplies.
Like shadow-puppet-strings
cast o’er scornful campfires burn
tell of his legend — solitary.

Whence a brood’s lives were stole
belonging to the pard.

Where twin infant panthers gazed
with empty mouths and eyes.
Reflects a Shepherd’s wish
as it is mournfully returned:

** ” རི་འདབས་ལ་གྱེས། ” ;

heard, wistful Heaven’s pedigree.

Embarked this leopard family
dwindled but for their souls.
Once, unto — a flock of stars.

© poormansdreams

* Snow/mountain leopard:
Panthera uncia (previously: Uncia uncia)
The genus name, Uncia, is derived from the Old French word :- once, which was originally used for the European lynx.

** Modern Lhasa Tibetan translation:
“Goodbye to the mountainside.”
རི་འདབས་ལ་གྱེས།
ri ’dabs la gyes
IPA: [ɾì tɛ̀p̚ la cʰé]

Callum Featherstone

Nature versus Torture

The natural landscape is an elderly, insightful shaman.

Each rugged ridged mountain top, swell within the ocean, jagged nettle, cracked tree stump and dancing desert is a wisdom filled wrinkle, thought or expression.

The ritual undertaken by nature combines meticulous process, indefinite time and arduous repetitions. Yet, the arrogance of the human race – the young pretender – mistakenly and pompously believes to know better than nature.

If you really take a minute and think about what our planet is telling us then you would realise what it’s relationship with us has turned into.

That of a hero toward a villain.

It’s only option left is to destroy us before we harm our hero and it’s universe any further. Rising sea levels, rising world temperatures, natural disasters, wildlife extinctions and crop failures… (the list goes on) all point to one thing;

the planet must extinguish that which destroys it.

It’s enemy.

Us.

Unless, of course, this youthful pretender learns from it’s hero…

Learns that process, time and repetition are valuable within nature. Learns that nature, in turn, is valuable. Learns that nature can live without humanity but humanity cannot live without nature.

And, most importantly, learns that although we foolishly teach one another that it is never too late to change, it is too late for us to change the permanent damage and atrocities we have caused to our hero, our planet, our Earth.

However, there is still a chance to rectify further damage; if we care for nature the way nature cares for us. And, our every morsel of being.

Don’t be a fool or young pretender.

Be a hero.

Be nature.