PAD Day 11: A Little Early for Earth Day

 Todayh's prompts from Write Better Poetry and NaPoWriMo: (1) Write a "nature" poem, and (2) write a poem that incorporates song lyrics.

I have been engaged for a while with writing a series of poems that are inspired by one of my favorite rock bands, the British band Elbow. I compiled a manuscript, but haven't found the right place to publish it yet. However, about a dozen of them were published on a blog called Poetic Librettos. You can read them there if you are interested. Meanwhile, here's a new one to add to my project, based on a song from their latest album, Audio Vertigo. I actually used three lines of their songs (and a variation of a fourth) but not as a refrain as Maureen of NAPoWriMo suggested. I was inspired by my friend, Iowa Poet Laureate Vince Gotera, to write a curtal sonnet. He is also, as always, involved with the Poem a Day Challenge, and has written a few curtal sonnets this month, plus many more. Check out his blog, The Man with the Blue Guitar.

Here on Earth
 
We live in a troubling age….
                                                Elbow, “Her to the Earth”
 
There is no doubt we’re in a troubled age,
Our deeds extinguished countless many sounds
of birds. We are not the be and end-all,
we are mere actors on this godly stage.
Above the clouds, big sister does her rounds.
She sees us but to her we’re just too small.
 
All that breathes is a chorus of peace tonight—
we’re all caretakers of these earthly grounds,
the fox who lopes through dusk, the heron’s call.
Our legacy must be to make this right
                                                             before we fall.