We Walk These Treasured Lands

We Walk These Treasured Lands

This poem focuses on the importance of preserving our precious land and natural resources for future generations. This work was published by Notable Works in 2020 in "Voices of Our Earth: The Future of Our Planet II."

Noreen Inglesi

English

We Walk On These Treasured Lands

We walk on these treasured lands
Preserved and shared by
Someone who saw this lanky oak
And berries bright
As sacred gifts for all to behold

Here on this path of hidden wonders
We can toss out the day’s burdens
And cleanse our lungs
With long awaited crisp fresh breath
Soaking in the soft, soothing sunlight
Sometimes difficult to see
When standing amidst
Rows and rows of towering hickories

Each tree, whether pine, oak or chestnut
Speaks of a story
Through trunk, bark or bough
Of triumph and resilience
Standing tall and oh, so eloquently
Through years of tempests’ might
Or fiery plight
Or even the not so gentle touch
Of a woodpecker’s delight

We gratefully walk on this land
Where acorns, berries and pinecones abound
Adorning the ground
Like a blanket
Wrapped delicately around a newborn
For the first time
A feast for our eyes
And a bountiful banquet
For the creatures
Who seek shelter here
Build their nests
And securely nestle themselves
Within the burly branches and shrubs

We walk on these lands
Mere tenants in these timeless groves
Where tender fawn peeks out
Through patches
Of forsythia in early bloom
And where the scent of pine
Makes itself known
And where the sparrow and robin
Share their glee harmoniously
As they bask in the gentle mist
Of early morn

We walk these lands
Legacies unselfishly bestowed
With forethought and generosity
Emanating pride and hope
Through planting,
Protecting and nurturing
These bountiful acres
Surely helping
To sow the seeds
Of tomorrow.

By Noreen Inglesi

2020

Rhode Island