A Million Years of Sleep - Free Verse Poem
Background
There hasn't been any significant change over the past few decades with regards to how we have been treating our planet, our Mother Earth. It is time to take note of the fact that she is tired, and may not be able to go on much longer.
The Poem
Wrapped in my bluish-green cloak
I have been walking
Walking
Walking
Walking
Walking towards the flames
At times with a stab of ice
The gold washes over my blue
The white smears across my green
I keep walking
Walking
Walking
Walking
Been eons since I slept
My own children, they hurt me
Blazing their horns, they ride my soul
With putrid smog, they blind my eyes
And I am walking
Walking
Walking
Walking
My first-borns, dear they were
Drifted off to eternal slumber
I draped their shrouds with
My bright, concrete silhouette
I am tired of walking
Walking
Walking
Walking
Lay me down, let me dream
On a bed of crimson cover
My tired eyes long to rest
And sleep for a million years
I would be no longer
Walking
Walking
Walking
Questions & Answers
© 2018 Rinita Sen
Comments
AUTHORAudrey, thank you for visiting and for echoing my thoughts. Only if everyone did their bit, Mother Earth would thank her children.
How very touching your poem is. Mother Earth, Gaia, is very tired indeed and we continue to waste her resources. Shame on all of us! Now is the time to take care of her
Mother is telling us loud and clear that our carbon-spewing, devil-may-care lifestyle is leading to destruction. Your message is clear - thank you.
- AUTHOR
Thanks for coming back, Mark. I hope so, too.
Beautiful personification of nature. While I know she’s awfully tired, I hope that we’d eventually get people in public office to give her a much needed rest. Well done.
- AUTHOR
Thank you, naive scribbler. Appreciate your visit.
Great Poem. Thought Provoking indeed.
- AUTHOR
Li-Jen, am always so happy to see you, my friend. Indeed, she is tired, and the burden is getting heavier. Thank you for echoing my thoughts.
Hey Rinita. I enjoyed the Walk in the poem. :) The poem personifies Mother Earth and shows how we have destroyed her soul. The Walking in between the cruelty stanzas emphasizes the negative impact we make. It also shows that Mother Earth has been kind to us, how she carries us(her burden) on her shoulders haha..she's getting tired.
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Chitrangada. You are right, we all need to do our bit. Glad you visited today, and yes, we writers are in this world to spread awareness, through our words. Thanks so much again.
A very thought provoking poem, to which everyone must pay attention. It’s sad, but so true that the situation is becoming worse each day. Each one of us has a role to pay, to do whatever we can to save our Mother Earth. This is important for our future generations.
Thanks for drawing attention and spreading awareness, for an important cause.
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Thank you, Rajan. Yes, you are right. All of us, Her children, must play our roles to relieve Her from the fatigue. It is already late. Thank you again for reading.
Very moving poem. Our Mother Earth truly needs a break. Each one of us has a part to play in it. I hope we understand this and act before it is too late.
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Thank you, Tim. I will check it out. Also thanks for willing to read more of my humble creations. You are too kind with your comment.
Hello, Rinita,
Yes, my story is" "When We Leave Home for Another Place." It is on this site.
However, I'm looking forward to diving into your creative works more in the coming days. You are always thoughtful in your comments and show respect to other creative people.
Much respect and admiration,
Tim
- AUTHOR
Hi Tim, thank you for your visit and kind comment. Yes, sadly she strolls on. Would love to read your story. Is that on Hubpages?
Thank you again.
Excellent poem. Indeed, Mother Earth is tired, but like a good parent, she still is there for her children. She will continue to stroll on until she can do no more for her children because they refused to act grown up.
Beautiful work, reminding me of a short story I wrote about our Earth.
Enjoyed it immensely.
Much respect,
Tim
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Mark. She really is. Appreciate you stopping by today.
Beautiful and compelling. The planet is tired, indeed.
- AUTHOR
Thank you, John, for taking the time to read even when you are away. That explains why you haven't been posting your work for quite some time now.
Ironically, my country's government is not in denial, but whatever steps they are taking are by far "too little, too late". More importantly, it is the urban common man who is a disgrace to the name of Mother Earth's children. One-time-use plastics, unnecesarily using air conditioners, felling of trees to make living spaces, 2-3 cars per family, taking the car out even for a distance that can be covered by foot, the list of thoughtless behavior goes on and on. Sigh, we need to change, and the onus is sadly more on the coming generations.
Happy to see you today, my friend.
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Doris, for your heartfelt comment. Yes, I too believe in the power of meditation and prayers, and the hope that all will ultimately be well. It wasn't too difficult to find a picture that goes well with my poem, as this is a subject that artists have been dwelling on for several years, artists, who have always been way ahead of times. Thanks again for your kindly visit.
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Manatita, for appreciating my work, and also for thinking about me. Hope we writers can bring some solace to the desolate Mother.
Rinita, I am away from home at the moment so I am a little slow to catch up with my reading. I have been concerned for the state of poor Mother Earth for many years but people still are not doing enough.
Your wonderful poem captures her sadness and feeling of despair.
My own present Government are climate change deniers but public opinion is changing and pressuring them to do more. So, like Ann, I am hopeful enough can be done to change the course of Mother Earth before it is too late.
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Rinita, this is such a beautiful plea to humanity. A sad poem. Our mother earth is suffering, but I believe there is hope. There are thousands, maybe millions of advanced souls meditating to bring her peace and healing. I'm one of them who believes that light will win the war between darkness and light. As my metaphysical mentor used to say after a hurricane or earthquake, "Gaia has a bellyache." Yes, we need to keep working to cure her pain. I believe we will. Thank you, Dear Soul, your photograph of her is beautiful.
A touching piece! Mother Earth is weeping, yes. She remains humble, loving, sacrificial in the midst of daily warfare.
An exquisite piece of poetry.
P.S. Thought of you today. Stay well.
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Verlie, my friend, thank you for echoing my thoughts. A slow funeral indeed, that's where She's headed, and no, we aren't doing enough to stop it. You analyzed the poem well, as always. Take care, dear lady.
- AUTHOR
You are right about the planes, Ann. They are major contributors to Her sorrow. The mindset needs to change, hopefully some day.
Rinita I love the dirge like quality you've so carefully created here. It reads like a slow plodding funeral march with the repeating chorus of "walking, walking, walking". Your Mother Earth is exhausted, that is clear. I feel this too every time (every day) that I read about another creature/species on our planet nearing extinction. Beautifully illustrated.
Sadly, we are also too dependent on planes. No one will ever give up those, especially governments and I guess business survives because of them too. What to do? A difficult one, but yes you're right, if we start with ourselves then there is some hope.
Ann
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Ann. Appreciate your thoughtful comment. Yes, you and I might not be around when it happens, but it will be a sad day for the universe when our planet says the final goodbye. I think it is as much the government's responsibility as of the common man. So many artists have expressed similar views in so many ways, but the layman reads, nods, and moves on. Unless every individual starts with small changes at home, survival of the planet is a lost cause.
Thank you again for reading.
This is such a moving verse; I love it. You have made a good plea for our planet. I heard on the news yesterday a warning that we are nearing the time when it will be too late to help our ailing planet - what a terrible thought!
It's time governments really woke up to this and forgot their squabbling and got together for a solution. Never mind politics, we won't have anywhere to govern soon!
Well done, Rinita!
Ann
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