SEED POEMS: Michelle Otero, Carmen Canela, Annie Lechuga, Isabel Becerra, Shyzir Taplin
These poems were created in response to the Seed: Climate Change Resilience exhibition and were performed at the Albuquerque Museum in July 2019 and are the sixth blog from the 14th edition of the SeedBroadcast agri-culture Journal. Due to the rapidly changing and challenging times of COVID19 we have postponed the printing of this issue until later in the year but hope that you can access this poignant and timely edition on line and past issues here.
Thank you, Michelle, Carmen, Annie, Isabel and Shyzir
PILLAR OF SEED
Michelle Otero
is me — cast kernel
or seed wing feathered
 |
| The poets at SEED: Climate Change Resilience Exhibition |
to soil
black or red or nest
we, seed relations, speak
seed language, craft root
letter, whip tendril tongue,
click-clack fava bean teeth
you, grass cousin, shape
seed pot from Chicken River clay
store yarrow, bee balm, corn jewel
we, dryland parable,
vocation, we
heirloom
nothing common about us, at all
SEEDS
Carmen Canela
So small
Buried under pounds of what’s needed
They wait for the rain
Or the kind farmer who starts their journey
They peak out, their color now green.
Their roots placed firmly still underground.
They sunbathe
And smile
Taller, taller, taller
To their prime, their peak
They get harvested
Still holding their smile
They get shipped out to places they’ve
never heard of
On the dinner table of a family
On the shelf of a grocery store
On the plaid blanket of a picnic
Places they’ve never heard of
But they smile on
SEEDS
Annie Lechuga
The beginning and end
to the plants that give us life
Dangling
Above
The dirt
The soil
The twigs
The illusion of gourds
Being lifted in the air
Clay towers holding the earth
The shadows appear as people
Reaching out for each other
But none are touching
For they are not people,
But life, not given the chance to grow
Their only job, to stay still
As voices tell their stories,
voices like water flowing down
Nourishing
Giving them purpose, life
While they sit suspended
PLANTS ARE ALIVE
Isabel Becerra
When I was small, my grandma said,
“Plants are alive. Like you and me. You need to
talk to them, play music for them, tell them they’re
pretty, and sing to them. Plants bring good energy
so keep them happy.”
From a young age I understood not everyone
believes plants are alive. Bad
people were killing the forest, and I noticed
mean people didn’t have any plants.
My grandma would tell me,
“The plant must be happy, and feel needed.
You need to tell them things, to boost their
self esteem. They will grow stronger and
healthier! Most people think all plants need is
water, sun, soil and the right temperature.
But they also need love!
You never wanna hurt a plant. Plants are pure and
would never hurt you. Don’t pinch them, or tear
them, or ignore them. They will be sad and
lose their colors.
The plant will be happy to share its powers
to heal you or feed you. It won’t be hurt. Plants
are magical. So always stay connected to them.
NATURE: AND THE MYSTERY OF EVERGREEN
Shyzir Taplin
Nature is such a wonder to see
Shyzir Taplin
Nature is such a wonder to see
The beautyness of the evergreen trees
The wandering hummingbirds and flies alike
The tastyness of fruits and foods
And getting lost as you see
The awe in nature
As it’s true beauty shines bright
With Evergreen
But if fallen by the wrong hands
Nature will never shine like Evergreen
Instead it will be a shallow of what it once was
From Evergreen to dark and twisted green
From wonders of hummingbirds to the smell of death of crows
And from beautyness to rotten disgusting
But if by chance
If well kept and protected
Life can flourish as the evergreen shines
Bright like the burning stars
With limitless possibilities and creations
And nature will return to it’s natural beauty
As the hummingbirds and flies wonder
And nature shows it’s true beauty again
As it shines bright with Evergreen
Michelle Otero is Albuquerque’s fourth Poet Laureate. She is a writer, facilitator, and coach who utilizes creative expression and storytelling as the basis for organizational development and positive social change. Her process of engaging individuals and communities through the expression of shared story has found a wide range of applications, from helping conservation organizations better understand the priorities of traditional land-based communities to helping people heal from trauma. Michelle worked with Shyzir, Isabel, Annie and Carmen as part of the Voces Summer Institute of the National Hispanic Cultural Center