Gaia speaks as Mother Earth, whispers softly to her child
Child answers Isis, goddess of trees and forests wild

Pachamama swaddles babe and holds him to her breast
Babe at the vast hillside, snuggles Demeter’s ample chest

Nokomis feeds a bounty, daughter of the moon abides
Longs for Earth sustainable, Jord the mother, life provides

Danu nurtures fauna, she walks upon majestic plains
Call we must to Maka, Earth Mother known by many names

Anu hangs her head dismayed, a sadness wells up in her soul
Children cease to honor earth, wilderness since the times of old

Mother Nature, Goddess weeps a flood eternally
Feels the loss of nature, the Earth not what it’s meant to be

*in honor of Earth Day 1970-2023

 

Selected byRaymond Hufffman
Image credit:Jay Mantri

Julie A. Dickson has written poetry for over 50 years, has served on two poetry boards, has served as a guest editor for several journals, coordinated 100 Thousand Poets for Change for 5 years and her work appears often in publications including Medusa's Kitchen, Blue Heron Review, Open Door, Misfit, MasticadoresUSA, Ekphrastic Review and Uppagus. She has authored YA fiction books including "Bullied into Silence" [Piscataqua Press] and Poetry books, the latest being "Village Girl" [Goldfish Press]. Dickson holds a BPS in Behavioral Science, advocates for captive elephants and shares her home with two rescued semi-feral cats.