Welcome! | Croeso!This post is part of
Crafty Green Poet's Blogfest
to mark the Soil Association's
ORGANIC FORTNIGHT
3-17 September 2010
Thank you,
Juliet,
for arranging this enterprise.
"It is poetic that a china clay pit, so Cornish in essence, has been given another life.
It is a constant source of inspiration for me and continues to get better and better.”
Anthony Eyton R.A.
Artist in Residence,
The Eden Project
I wonder when you last had a 'green' moment.
I vividly recall my first visit to the Space Age biomes
of the Eden Project in Cornwall, back in 2002.
The structures alone were impressive.
However, I was particularly struck by the 'recycling work'
that had given the old China Clay pit a new lease of life
as a place in which people could come to enjoy themselves
and learn a great deal about the world around them.
The colours of the plants were vibrant.
The scents were intoxicating.
You could feel droplets of humidity on your skin.
The organic coffee in the café was delicious.
Birdsong resounded through the jungle!
of the Eden Project in Cornwall, back in 2002.
The structures alone were impressive.
However, I was particularly struck by the 'recycling work'
that had given the old China Clay pit a new lease of life
as a place in which people could come to enjoy themselves
and learn a great deal about the world around them.
The colours of the plants were vibrant.
The scents were intoxicating.
You could feel droplets of humidity on your skin.
The organic coffee in the café was delicious.
Birdsong resounded through the jungle!
The poem revolves around my (imaginary) Biome conversation with a Praying Mantis (and here), who makes me appreciate the qualities of our fragile earth in a new light - as you will see from the following quotation:
He tells her all about the concept of fair trade,
about sustainable forests and water aid.
‘I have seen lots of wonders, but it’s time to depart,’
sighs the chocoholic woman, with a burdensome heart.
‘I envy those Aztecs with their cocoa bean brew,
mixed with spice from the chilli to warm them right through!’
The Chocoholic Woman finally arrives home, flinging 'chocoholic chippings' from her 'chocoholic heels', only to discover with a sense of panic that the 'snowy peaks of chocolate treats' beside her favourite chair are not, in fact, organic...about sustainable forests and water aid.
‘I have seen lots of wonders, but it’s time to depart,’
sighs the chocoholic woman, with a burdensome heart.
‘I envy those Aztecs with their cocoa bean brew,
mixed with spice from the chilli to warm them right through!’
You may like to read about:
- The Eden Project Real Cool Futures Project, with a case study on Clio Turton who has worked as a manager at the Press Office of the Soil Association.
- The Eden Project Blog
- The Eden Project Shop (how about some Christmas present ideas?)
- Why Organic? - from the Soil Association
- Divine
- The Divine Chocolate Blog
- The Divine Deep Dark Chocolate Competition (still time to enter)
- The winning poems of the 2009 Divine Chocolate Writing Competition (judge, Anthony Horowitz)
- Organic Poetry (N.B. this site is about organic - or free-form - writing, rather than organic produce)
- An obituary (1994) in The Independent for Jack Clemo, who found inspiration in the china clay pits.
Enjoy Organic Fortnight ...
and don't forget to visit
Crafty Green Poet
and
here
the other participating blogs, linked to the site.
Crafty Green Poet
and
here
the other participating blogs, linked to the site.
And finally ... if you like the thought of a Praying Mantis, you may enjoy Naquillity's post about a Walking Stick here.
