TODAY IN TAIJI

Thursday 2nd October 2014 10:05 am (first posted Tuesday 1st July 2014 5:41 pm)

TODAY IN TAIJI

Today in Taiji
we witnessed
baby dolphins
dragged away
from slaughtered mothers
taken miles out to sea
to meet certain death
alone and bereft
enough flesh on a babe
to feed a starving man
but not his greed.

Today in Taiji
we witnessed
Pink Dolphins
turn red
as they fell like confetti
onto jagged rocks
raining blood upon
dishonourable men
in the cove below
while a choir of birds
screeched to the heavens above.

Today in Taiji
we witnessed
an exhausted mother
rescue a dead babe
drowned in terror
as she struggled to hold
the tiny body afloat
members of our species
laughed beside camp fires
oblivious to her grief
and the continual suffering
inflicted by their deeds.

Today in Taiji
we witnessed
cruelty of the highest order
seas raped
families torn apart
children sold to slavery
mothers slaughtered
terrified survivors held captive
acts some men
name tradition
and others know as shame
Today in Taiji
a blood red cove stains a nation.

(This poem is about one December day 2012 in Taiji, Japan. During the "Taiji Season" I independently tweet comment on the Sea Shepherd livestream. This is what we witnessed that day and on many other days since).

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Comments

Shirley-Anne Kennedy

Wed 2nd Jul 2014 20:41

Thank you Daniel - you have made my day :)

Shirley-Anne Kennedy

Wed 2nd Jul 2014 20:41

Thanks for the comment, Cynthia.

I simply wrote the poem as I felt it. Hope that makes sense :)

Ged the Poet

Wed 2nd Jul 2014 14:44

Really moved by this Shirley-Anne.
Horiffic to witness... even harder to write about.

You have certainly raised the awareness of the "Taiji Season" something that I was not aware of. Thanks for standing up and being counted and more power to your pen.

Cynthia Buell Thomas

Wed 2nd Jul 2014 12:14

Strong subject matter, and handled with penetrating skill. I like the different versions, similar but slanting in accent. Are you also trying for Japanese brevity, that you do not make one longer, cohesive poem?

Shirley-Anne Kennedy

Wed 2nd Jul 2014 10:14

Thank you, Helene. I know it is not everyone's cup of tea and really appreciate your comment.

It is hard to watch but once I witnessed how those dolphins (& whales) get into tanks and "show business" there was a need to help raise awareness. Hopefully, this poem can help in some small way.

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