Troubled Times

While walking the dogs this evening, we were so happy to see around 30 geese, an assortment of adults and gangly teenagers. You see, over the past few years our little hood has been divided over these beautiful birds. The community seems to be split into two groups - those who see them as pests - and those of us who feel they have every right to thrive.

Over the years the anti- geese brigade has employed a variety of tactics. One year they went around shaking eggs, in an attempt to kill the embryos. Last year things finally came to a head, when an early morning jogger came upon a few parks board employees, who were taking the little goslings from their parents and stuffing them into bags. Apparently they planned to take them into the country, with the hope  they would be adopted by other geese families. Let's just   say there was a big revolt, which was covered by our local news stations for several weeks.

We are living in an era that scientists refer to as the 6th extinction. This time we can't blame it on an asteroid or ice age, seems humans are the cause of this latest annihilation.  Scientist predict that over 50 percent of earth's species will disappear in the next 100 years, forever altering life on this planet. Shouldn't we be celebrating those species, that in spite of our best efforts, thrive in our urban jungles?

In honour of all creatures, here is one of my favorite poems:

Little Citizen, Little Survivor

Hayden Carruth

A brown rat has taken up residence with me.

A little brown rat with pinkish ears and lovely

almond-shaped eyes. He and his wife live

in the woodpile by my back door, and they are

so equal I cannot tell which is which when they

poke their noses out of the crevices among

the stacks of firewood and then venture farther

in search of sunflower seeds spilled from the feeder.

I can't tell you my friend how glad I am to see them.

I haven't seen a fox in years, or a mink, or

a fisher cat, or an eagle, or a porcupine, I haven't

seen any of my old company in the woods

and the fields, we who used to live in such

close affection and admiration. Well, I remember

when the coons would tap on my window, when

the ravens would speak to me from the edge of their

little precipice. Where are they now? Everyone knows.

Gone. Scattered in this terrible dispersal. But at least

the brown rat that most people so revile and fear

and castigate has brought his wife to live with me

again. Welcome, little citizen, little survivor.

Lend me your presence, and I will lend you mine.