Old Growth Coast Redwood
Shooting straight up into the sky,
the tallest trees in the world
see everything.
They see their kind diminishing
from drought, mega-fires,
real estate development, vineyards.
Between 1850 and 1960,
clear cutting—
culminating after WW II
by the building industry boom
which decimated these forests
for their durable and beautiful wood.
Only 4% of old growth redwoods remain.
These trees are Mesuthelahs,
cathedrals of carbon,
sanctuary for wood warblers,
salamanders, marbled murrelets.
Tight knit families—fairy rings
of new trees sprouting from parent tree.
Magical, magnificent
in height and breadth,
and magnanimous in restoring life.
A part of the earth we must preserve
if for nothing else
than the awe and tranquility they gift us
when walking underneath
their immense stature.
by Terri Glass
Plea for Wildlife project funded by Upstate California Creative Corp
a future thought
maybe one day, single-celled algae
will lead the way in energy technology
spirulina motor sports
put on the chunk of a trunk helmet
let the sun feed its rays
then blossom for the fruit of yr winnings
poem by Niell
