My friend Marie is a force of and for nature. She’s come by her fierce soul honestly, through the trauma of living with, not one but two, abusive husbands consecutively; and losing an adult son to hit and run. She’s seen her share of suffering and grief. Yet, she cares about others and about the earth, our home. It hurts her to see people trash it.
She encourages everyone who will listen to recycle. When I lived on the farm (where we burned our own garbage) Marie accepted all my empty milk jugs and other plastics to put in recyclables bin in town. Now I live close to town and bring in our recyclables myself, including cardboard and glass. That makes Marie proud.
Marie picks up trash while on our walks and checks garbage cans for plastic bottles within reach. Sometimes her little car is full of bags of materials to be recycled. It’s almost a part-time job for her, now in her seventies. She may be small but she has a big heart and faith. She believes we must take better care of God’s beautiful world.
earth’s creatures fragile
plastic rings can suffocate
choking on our trash
Written for Earth Day 2024, “Planet vs. Plastics” theme and linked to dVerse poets where Frank hosts haibuns.
a poem in my pocket 
Apr 28, 2024 @ 08:19:00
I would keep company with Marie, I sense she is a soul friend and a good friend of the earth.
Apr 23, 2024 @ 19:37:36
She sounds like a very special person, Lynn ❤
~David
Apr 24, 2024 @ 12:05:59
Yes, she is ❤
Apr 23, 2024 @ 09:13:14
Thank you for sharing about Marie, and thank you for caring about the earth.❤️🙏🏻
Apr 23, 2024 @ 08:59:32
Marie sounds like a responsible steward. Let’s all follow her example!
Apr 23, 2024 @ 09:03:37
❤
Apr 23, 2024 @ 06:49:06
What a great person you have as a friend. May she be blessed always. Thanks for sharing.
Happy awareness day: Happy Earth day. 🤗
Apr 23, 2024 @ 09:05:00
Thanks, Selma! She’s a keeper…and an earth keeper 🙂
Apr 23, 2024 @ 02:56:53
We need to do even more… Recycling should be simple and also trusted (a lot of it is simply burned)… if we could reuse or repurpose it is even better, but as a normal person we need to do what we can.
Apr 23, 2024 @ 09:09:42
Yes!
Apr 23, 2024 @ 02:06:52
Your friend Marie sounds wonderful, Lynn! I hope nature has helped her heal from her suffering and grief. I wish there were more people like Marie. Your haiku is so sad. Let’s hope we can turn plastic devastation around.
Apr 23, 2024 @ 09:10:34
I agree, Kim. Thanks for your comment!
Apr 23, 2024 @ 09:37:05
My pleasure, Lynn!
Apr 22, 2024 @ 20:35:45
She sounds wonderful. I could not imagine going through all this, and still smiling. ☺️ great is our God
Apr 23, 2024 @ 09:13:30
She is in process of healing and knows she’s beloved by our Father God.
Apr 22, 2024 @ 20:00:56
luv the haiku’s care Lynn
much♡love
Apr 23, 2024 @ 09:14:03
❤ thanks, Gillena!
Apr 22, 2024 @ 18:46:18
Great post, Lynn. She sounds like a force to be reconned with! Good for her. We have a lady like her who walks the neighborhood with a bag and picks up trash along the sidewalks.
Apr 22, 2024 @ 19:36:39
I reckon she’s a caretaker like my friend! Thanks, Dwight 🙂 I appreciated your post tonight too.
Apr 22, 2024 @ 21:11:17
You are very welcome, Lynn.