Who Will Speak for the Cottonwoods?
A narrative poem by Rev. Hope Douglas Harle-Mould
for the prayer service of the Interfaith Climate Justice Coalition (ICJC)
to save waterfront trees and land from development
at the Outer Harbor, October 18, 2021
Dedicated to Jay Burney
Who will speak for the cottonwoods in this place?
The cottonwoods are speaking for themselves.
Are we listening?
Do we care enough to open our hearts
to their wise seventh-generation perspective,
to their verdant vibrancy as living things
that demand nothing of us
but to receive their gift
of renewing our souls?
These ancient cottonwoods are slated for death
in the name of profit-making development.
But this stand of cottonwoods is taking a stand,
speaking out for all creatures
of lakeside and land
who call this place home—
the snowy owls arriving here from the Arctic,
the 500 swallows born here in these branches
now returning to the Amazon rainforest—
this humble habitat
connecting us to compass points far.
This copse of cottonwoods is calling us,
who call ourselves homo sapiens,
“wise men, wise women,”
to create an alternate path—
that as government once zoned this lakeshore land
in the name of development
for the sake of customers paying currency,
government could change its short-mindedness
and re-zone it,
this time for parkland pleasure,
with gates open to all children of God:
to come and receive
the free priceless bequest
of wind and water, of shoreline and sky,
of the growing greenery and meek creatures
of Erie’s spirit.
Even yet, this copse of cottonwoods
is revealing to us a future
more beautiful than we’ve managed to imagine,
whispering to you and me to recall…
that every national park or state forest,
every wildlife refuge or parkland sanctuary
has been midwifed into being
by the dedication of the few,
coming together as mustard-seed small groups
of advocacy and action—
to stop more trees from being chain-sawed,
to halt more topsoil from being bulldozed,
to ban more concrete from paving over
the earth of Seneca devotion.
Who will speak for the cottonwoods in this place?
The cottonwoods are speaking for themselves.
Are we listening?
Do we care enough to open our hearts
to their Loud Leaves of enchantment,
their shushing wave-sounds in the wind?
Our great-grandchildren unborn
already hear their voices,
impatiently awaiting the time
they can touch their hands
to these trunks,
and gaze out
upon these waters,
and sing with rejoicing
one song
in unison
with these cottonwoods—
whose voice
we today
finally
hear.
Related News
Can a Small Church Make a Difference on Environmental Justice? Yes!
American anthropologist Margaret Mead once observed, “Never doubt that a small group of...
Read MoreChurch Launches Community Composting Opportunity
Coral Isles Church in Tavernier, Florida recently kicked off a community composting...
Read MorePostcards for the Planet: Engaging Environmental Voters This Election Season
During this election season, the Green Christians at the Coral Gables United Church of...
Read More