If the Earth is Our Mother

By Jeffry L’H. Tank

Ever since I was first introduced to the study of the Oceanography through the work of Capt. Jacques-Yves Cousteau I have developed a deep and abiding love and fascination with the vastness and complexity of world’s oceans and seas. It has been shown many times over in the past 40 years just how great our dependency, and indeed all life, has on the health of our oceans. There is, for me, no greater pleasure than enjoying the tranquility of time spent at the shore, so it was with great anticipation that I looked forward to spending a week in Hawaii. A place where I would quite literally be surrounded by the oceans calming water and where almost anywhere I went I would have a view of her deep, blue-green waters extending to the horizon in every direction. Had it not been for one single incident the trip was one of the best vacations I’ve taken to date.

In almost any other situation this event would probably not have had the impact that it did on me, but being some 4000 miles from the closest major land mass it was not something I would have expected. Yet even there on an otherwise isolated island in the middle of that vast expanse of ocean I learned once again the far reaching implications of our past disregard for our planet. I can only hope our growing awareness of the negative impact we have had on our planet has not come too late.

From that single moment as I stood upon the shoreline looking out across the sparking water came the inspiration for the included poem. I've added the links to some of the pictures I took while there below the poem to add balance, for indeed I did have a wonderful time overall and highly recommend that anyone who can, should go there at least once.

If the Earth is Our Mother

If the Earth is our Mother
Then the Ocean must be her Bosom;
For it is that which feeds us all.

If the Earth is our Mother
Then the Oceans must be her Womb;
For it is from whence all life was begotten.

If the Earth is our Mother
Then the Sea must be her soul;
For it is that which inspires us.

If the Earth is our Mother
Then the Seas are her greatest treasure;
For without them we would cease to exist.

As I stood upon the shoreline
Reveling in her aquamarine beauty
I heard a clanking at my feet.

Looking down I spied an empty soda can
Freshly washed ashore by the incoming tide
It was then that I turned away and cried.

If the Earth is our Mother
And her blue-green waters the essential essence of us all;
How is it then that we can ignore her pleas?

Hawaii Gallery One

Hawaii Gallery Two

Hawaii Gallery Three

© 2007 Jeffry L’H. Tank

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