A R T I V I S M
Water
Wave to me, oh ocean giving.
Grow in me, your seeds of life.
Quench my thirst so that I may return home.
Then swirl with me, swirl, cleanse, and love.
Oh, lakes of secrets, of times gone by
Of a waterfall’s melody, of you and me.
Of tears, known and tears never forgotten
Of waters never contaminated because we shall never stop caring.
Sealife Blues.
I got the blues; yeah, blues.
I got funky, gooey, sad-eyes blues.
Because you dump lye, dye, mercury, and ink into the seas.
You throw in old shoes, toys, pens, and stuff that stinks.
Come on, tell me, please, these blues will soon be going away.
I got the blues; yeah, blues.
I got depression, too.
Inconspicuous
Is it a coincidence that these red leaves match my eyes?
I am searching for a mate.
However, the fluctuating temperatures alter the tune of my love song.
Even if I were to blend in with my surroundings, would pollutants still manage to locate me?
Lots of Love
A handsome butterfly says, "Darling, I love you."
Some ole bee says, “You have the sweetest nectar in the field."
But the sun says,
"Little flowers, don't choose; love them all; you won't lose."
But the handsome butterfly says, "C’mon sweetpee."
Then, ole bee says, "Honey, just talk to me."
But the sun says,
Nature makes the rules, and you have the tools.’
Trees
Were we lovers?
Umm, I felt blissful-woo when you slept on my branch.
But, one day, you got hooked on axing,
And there you came, swinging and slinging.
Chop-chop
You came begging, mowing, and sawing.
Crack-crack
Ahhh, my stemmed fingers, arm limbs, legged branches.
And I thought I was your summer shade.
But you took me for granted and made me into whatever.
Baby, I was your flood prevention, oxygen producer, carbon sequestrator, and food provider.
Now, I’m only a portrait on your burning walls.
Silly me, I thought we were lovers.
The Ballad of a Sad Tree
Once upon a time, ants, cicadas, owls, koalas, and I lived together.
Suddenly, flames were everywhere.
My family screamed and ran for their lives.
Oh, such painful heat.
I gasped a last breath, folded my branches, and crashed.
Now, though I weep, there's no one left to care.
Papi and Me
We had a nest with two beautiful babies.
They were lending their voices to the world.
Everyone enjoyed their song.
But woe came a sudden, violent, and deadly storm.
Like the one that wrecked my cousin’s home.
And now our nest sits silent, cold, and still.
What shall become of my dear Papi,
and what shall I do with sad-sad me?
Beauty
We find beauty in mystical forests.
In cicadas crooning for love.
In storms that replenish starlit seas.
A wolf's howl - to sense a sheep's tremor.
We find beauty in the sun, peeking through clouds and teasing the earth's lips.
And in all things that have grown big from small.
Mom
I must leave to hunt, but will my little one manage alone on the Arctic's slippery shore? There will come a time when she can go with me. But will there come a time when the Arctic stops warming?
Baby
Mama has gone, and I long for her return. Someday, I can go out on my own or with her.
But will there come a time when the Arctic stops warming?
My brothers and I, do not eat every animal in the forest. But, nature's symbiotic rhythms designed us to survive by hunting. Yet, such is not true of everyone. There are those whose self-worth is measured by blood spillage. We howl in gratitude when the moon flashes her neon light: Men on the Prowl
Follow the enchanting journey of Nkati, a sunflower, as she travels in a wind bubble and communicates with various animals to uncover the consequences of climate change. This imaginative tale is entertaining and a valuable tool to initiate conversations among children, who hold the key to our planet's future. The author, T.J. Ayende Youmans, is a resident of Washington, D.C., passionate advocate for climate awareness, social justice, and global equality. Through his writing, he raises awareness about these pressing issues. In his leisure time, Ayende enjoys long walks, go-games, tai-chi, and haiku moments while providing food to three feral cats he unwittingly inherited.
Their wonder is to worry.
Is our symbiotic relationship with nature beginning or ending?
Pollution is causing a decrease in the oxygen levels of the oceans, leading to coral reefs being bleached due to rising temperatures. Fish are also suffering from plastic consumption and oil pollution. Deserts are hotter, forests are hotter and destroying natural habitats, and chemicals are depleting the soil. Food scarcity is a significant concern as the Amazon is devastated, and wildlife struggles to survive. Water sources are drying up, and melting icebergs are causing the seas to flood.
Is our symbiotic relationship with nature ending or beginning?
Their worry is to wonder.
Love
Throughout billions of years, I've crafted countless beings, Swimmers, crawlers, walkers, and flyers In valleys, deserts, plains, and the Arctic.
Their voices echo with hope and affection Upon sands, deep within seas, and in the depths of hearts.
My laughter paints the sun with brightness; My tears glisten like pearls at night.
My moods range from tempestuous storms To the quiet descent of an iceberg; My nights bring cooling relief to deserts.
I give birth to mountains, rest in valleys, Lie beneath oceans, and tame the winds.
I am the architect of creation and transformation, Inhaling the future and exhaling the past.
Awaken, dear children, do not become my lost dream.