Around the globe, concern for the human ecosystem and society finds expression in every communication medium imaginable and verse has not been overlooked. This page has been developed in recognition of the contribution that poets are making to the aims of the Pachacuti Project. Our intention is to feature individual verse that has been specifically provided for the project's use and to provide links to the works of poets we believe have made an outstanding contribution to improving society's attitude towards the ecosystem. We hope eventually to have gathered enough original work to publish a book of "Pachacuti Verse."  Please feel free to send us your creative efforts for consideration.

FEATURED POETS

The Australian bard himself. A long loved public performer of classic Australian verse, Jack Thompson has recorded a number of works, all available from the website Finepoets.

MARK O'CONNOR

To head up our list of 'ecopoets', we could not go past Australia's poet laureate, Mark O'Connor, who writes regularly in support of Pachacuti aligned social principles.  His published works of verse as well as his engaging blog are available on his website.

ORIGINAL PACHACUTI VERSE

An original Haiku by George Trembath to kick off.  It has no title and probably doesn't need one.

Nature offended

sees bandit, king nor beggar;

scatters all like leaves.

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As a feature of Pachacuti’s ‘Be the Change’ Earth Day at Cobargo, we ran a poetry competition, judged by Australia’s poet laureate Mark O’Connor.  For a $500 prize, poets of the Bega Valley were asked to submit verse capturing the essence of humanity’s conflict with the ecosystem that supports us. There were two equal winners, Dean Turner of The Crossing and Connie Mason. Upon accepting their $250 prize money, Connie quietly handed hers back. Dean’s became a contribution to the running costs of The Crossing. Presented below are the two poems;

Connie Mason’s Entry – (Untitled)

What colour would blue be if it were not for the sky

Would we ever look up if birds didn’t fly?

Which green would you choose if it weren’t in the trees

How silent our world, if not for the breeze

And the sound of the surf

And the roll of the seas.

In all this grandeur I am so small

Does my footprint matter?

It’s just me – after all?

But one voice becomes louder when joined with another

The planet can hear us, it is our mother

It has given us life and asks us to care

No matter who, no matter where

Can’t you hear the earth calling?

Can’t you hear her plea.

To live with her in harmony.

If not now, then when will it be?

She’s calling to you and she’s calling to me.

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And the second winning contribution;

Restore before the dinosaurs wake?

by Dean Turner

Behold the ancient greenhouse haze

Bringing back the raptor days

For we release the radicals free

Oil carbon terror

Burnt life of old seas

Coal carbon power

Of dinosaur trees

The CO2

And floating plastic stew

Our carbon cult grew

Me, my, more, stuff you!

Losing diversity; reefs, forests, rain

Ice and soils going… planet in pain

Depleting and melting

Gaia is shifting

Some land rebounding

While some land is sinking

For ‘Peak Soil’ needs replacing

Through volcanic violence

Or human creating

And every choice

Holds emotion

No away

One Earth, One Ocean

Reuse, restore

Cradle to cradle

No more grave products

To pollute or disable

Design waste as food

Reabsorb and remake

An Earthcare society

Won’t let the Earth bake.

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Our gratitude goes to Dean and Connie for this poignant work by both.