Saturday, April 11, 2015

Pennypack Creek Cleanup - Poem: Pennypack Creek Cleanup

 "Linda," I said over the phone.

"Are you coming to the Creek Cleanup?"

I had just woken her up.

"No," she said, "I've gotta work on my short story for the Writing Group."

"I haven't written anything either," I said. "Well, use your judgment. I'd love to see you at the Creek Cleanup."

Linda is one of my favorite people. She did, in fact, drive up as we were piling into Chris Dartley's truck.

"Oh, I remember you," I said. "You helped us with Tony's Tree." 

He said it's one of his favorite trees.

He dropped us off and we began collecting trash, taking time to view the beauties of the Pennypack on this gorgeous sunshiny warm day.

 Don't trip when going from one huge boulder to another. NOW you tell me.
 Lesser celandine above.
Linda is one of our prolific writers at our Coffeeshop Writers' Group.... and yes, she did finish a short story for the group.

 Am wearing a shirt I wear to my Acrylics Class, given to me by Ellen Rosenberg.
 What are these lovely purple plants? I'll email either Chris or David who will know. Why this need to know? That's how homo sapiens are:  Wise man.

 Brett Lear (distant relative of the King), Linda Barrett, Eileen from Cinnaminson, NJ and her son Kevin, who works at Pennypack, Renu Sagreiya, and Allie.
 Huge uprooted tree. Why do they tumble over? They're old, diseased, or hit by Hurricane Sandy. Pennypack lost dozens of trees from the hurricane in October, 2012.  I wrote a poem called "Death of a Tree" which I submitted to the Montco College Writer's Contest. BTW, it one third place and a cash prize. My fantastic short story "The Unlikely Psychiatrist" won nuffin.

My BF Scott couldn't attend the Cleanup as his back is killing him. Right now, he's online looking up natural remedies to help him.

 Here's Kevin's car.

Who's on his bumper sticker? As I moved closer, I knew. YOU think about it. I'll let you know at blog's end... if I remember.
 We were rewarded by .... eating.

I had half a macadamian nut cookie and half a tuna cheese hoagie. And water.
Second course was a hot dog, no bun, and another tuna hoagies. Delish!

Whole Foods didn't sponsor the lunch.

Brett said I ate as much as he did. I have a huge appetite. We sat and talked a few and got to know each other better.

He told me the BILL MURRAY movie St. Vincent is excellent. I reserved the film in March from my library.



PENNYPACK CREEK CLEAN-UP

Lugging black Hefty Trash Bags
we follow the course of the
Pennypack Creek where in
days past, the sure-footed
Lenni-Lenape dwelt on these
banks, preparing acorn stew
and wild turkey meat
from their bark-built
wigwams. Their spirit
lingers tall as we clean the
creek on their behalf. We
are no longer one with
Mother Earth.

Brett finds men’s briefs
Renu two Lite Beers
Linda a flip-flop
Ally another flip-flop
Ruth a water-logged sock
Brett the matching one

Plastic, aluminum, cigarette butts
were unknown to the
Lenape, who told stories
by the campfire while
chomping on corn nuts.

In the Hefty Trash Bag
the flip-flops join together
and embrace
the water-logged socks
twine themselves together
… at last!....
while the thousand bits of
Styrofoam shake and rattle
with applause.

Heavens! What will
the Lenapes think?

Image result for lenapes

Lenape-Lenapis were members of the Delaware Tribe.

What tribe to YOU belong to?

1 comment:

  1. Nice post! I discovered that I could not help with creek cleanups a few years ago. My arthritis was killing me and my poor balance prevented me from reaching difficult places.
    Your mystery plant is skunk cabbage, a favorite of bears just fresh out of hibernation and very, very hungry. The plant contains oxalate salts made into crystals with sharp points. Your and I would be pretty sick from eating it. Lucky for the bears, it doesn't seem to bother them. Another interesting thing is that the flowers have a strong pungent smell. They also produce enough heat to melt snow around them. Flies visit them with the intent to lay eggs on the supposed rotten meat. This is one example of plants cheating their pollinators. Nature isn't always nice.

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