Followers

Thursday 20 September 2012

SLUG



A homeless snail appears
out of eventide's gloaming.
Delicately ribbed body
in variegated brown
glistens beneath golden arc
of garden lantern:
slithers soundlessly, hunger-driven,
towards greenhouse larder.

Eyes follow your trail in reverse.
An indirect route map of silver
that plays with imagination.
Is it a Faery Path?
If I shrink and walk it
will it lead me into another World -
your World,
where I can learn your ways,
perhaps even earn your friendship?

For although in forms so utterly diverse,
this journey through life we share:
two Spirits woven from a single thread
of Sacred Divinity.
And I so love you, little brother,
and will shield you as best I can
from all the heartless barbarity
inherent in my kind;

whose lethal poisons would leave you writhing
in indescribable agony - your punishment
for needing to eat; and for offending
aesthetic sense of  'civilised' race,
who've decided you have no right
to sully 'their' beautiful land.
And they have the audacity
to call you abhorrent?

Little one, in your innocence I see
a beauty unique, unrivalled.
You have no eyes to see me
so I gently stroke your back, just
to say 'I'm here, and I care.'
You cringe violently - could it be
from the warmth of my hand,
or is it that instinctive fear
of human cruelty, common
to so many species on Earth?

And who could blame you if it were?
Limbless and with no means of defence,
you're an easy target for the Spiritually blind
who would delight in squashing you underfoot,
oblivious to what they're destroying:
an irreplaceable work of art
lovingly crafted by the hand of God.

 

19 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thank you Giancarlo.
      That is really appreciated :)

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  2. I was thinking something similar yesterday, as the grasshoppers leapt, aimlessly, bouncing off the door of my car - and up my skirt ...

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    1. Hi Dale,
      it seems we think alike!
      Wonderful.
      Thank you so much :)

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  3. This touched me so deeply, I burst into tears. I adore your sensitivity Ygraine.. xo

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    Replies
    1. So sorry!
      It hurts me to think I made you cry.
      I just feel too deeply sometimes and forget I may be affecting others too.
      Please forgive me :(

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  4. Human cruelty has certainly had a hand in the extinction of many species over time.

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    Replies
    1. Wouldn't it be nice if we could find a way to avoid encrouching on each other's space (as species, I mean) without having to resort to such cruel methods?
      That is one of my fondest dreams...:)

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  5. AAaaaagggg, that's what I thought when I saw the image, I hate slugs! They ruin our plants, that's why.
    Well, after the first impression, I read your poem and my opinion about this poor animal has changed, thanks! Homeless and so defenseless, yes, but again... what about our flowers?
    Next time I´ll think about your words before squashing one of these lovely-abhorrent creatures underfoot.
    Aaaaaaggg...
    A hug, dear Ygraine.

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    Replies
    1. I certainly mean no offence, I promise Dulcina!
      It's just that I grew up witnessing my father poisoning slugs and shooting rats etc. and I felt almost physical pain for those poor creatures.
      I do so wish there was another way...:(
      Hugs Y

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  6. Aaaaaaggg...a hug for the slug...no thank you...just a gentle tug and a throwing off into the tall grass...beware though, that violent cringe that you see isn't from the warmth of your hand or your heart but the salt on your fingers...

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    1. They are facinating creatures! I felt the guilt well up inside of me - no I don't step on them - but they do give me the willies especially the great big fat slimy ones we have here. they don't look anything like the slimline genteel creature on on your image! However I guess that's not the point they are one of Gods creations - even though they may be greedy little blighters that eat everything in sight:) Beautiful write Ygraine I shall look more closely next time:)

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    3. At least you didn't squash the poor creature Gnome. That is commendable in my eyes.
      It may have been no more than the salt on my fingers, but I felt an unmistakeable bond with this beautiful animal that I will never forget...

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  7. Thank you so much Rose.
    This subject has been quite a bone of contention with most people I know (as you can probably imagine!). It just seems so wrong to me that human beings damage the World more than any other creature, yet condemn a slug for being hungry. I am trying to find a method of protecting my plants without harming them. At present I remove them by hand and place them elsewhere where they can eat to their heart's content! :)

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  8. The unknowngnome makes a good point. One I'd not thought of. Your poem puts the case excellently. The problem for most will remain, though: where to draw the line? I was early influenced by Albert Schweitzer's Reverence for Life. "I am life that wills to live in the midst of life that wills to live", but the problem was there even then. I ignored it.

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  9. Yes, there are some good points of view expressed here. There are so many ways this subject can be interpreted.
    All life is dependent on the death of other life forms, that much I understand, but I just abhor the needless killing of creatures we may not like the appearance of.
    All life is Sacred to me. All life is beautiful.
    Sorry everyone, that's just the way I am!

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  10. I don't like slugs. They are disgusting creatures. but I like the morale lesson with this one.
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    Replies
    1. Many thanks Vanessa.
      Great to hear from you :)

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I really appreciate hearing your opinions...:)