Poet's Corner

TWITCHERS AND DITCHERS

13-08-2007

The Stirrer's poet laureate Brendan Hawthorne visits a nature reserve in Sandwell ...and eyes up the greater spotted litter lout

Within the confines

of street sign references

traffic migrations and

estate preferences

lie the island oases of

common green spaces

They cling to life

with root and tendril

Green knuckle rides

bound knotted fingers

of habitat and home

to observe feathered visitors

through the field-scope vision

of those serious twitchers

who flock to be fed on

the take-home waste of

greaseproof sandwiches and

refreshed on funnel flask tea

Throughout this landscape of

soundscape hideout hideaways

where warblers and waders

greet those who promote

urban forest protection

and seasonal detection

a threat looms large

from the unthinking ditchers

the lesser spotted pitchers

out for a good time

of ignorance and irresponsibility

succeeding in

denigrating and violating

this all too pleasant land

with cans and bottles

and fast food encasements

These green banks

are not bottle banks

set aside for the fallout

They are not a job creation scheme

for those in need

They are in fact our future

A privilege for each generation

to pass on to the next

Not another proposed landfill

created by socially sick minds

hell-bent on destruction

not focused on the inherent beauty

of a natural wilderness

and the wonders and eccentricities of life