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For, this week’s #WDYS What do you see #209 photo poetry prompt I wrote my poem Our Green and Pleasant Land. A poem inspired by the solitary tree in the photo.
The d’Verse Poets prompt where the host, Björn Rudberg, invites us to write a poem from the collective point of view, motivated me to write it in the second person singular, which I hope will also qualify it for their challenge as well.

Our Green and Pleasant Land 

Once upon a time in our green and pleasant land, nature was loved. 
Forests thrived and were beloved. 
Squirrels leapt the length and breadth through vast canopies 
Wolf, bears and lynx are dead as the stone of the Sphinx.
Pole cat, wild cat, insect, bat, water vole, and bees, 
may follow these, 
Hedgehogs deprived of slugs 
Pesticides killing bugs. 
Badgers culled for why? 
The die is cast to join them soon
(or live on the moon)
it cannot last.

The lonely tree in a landscape scene 
The last remnant of our green and pleasant land 
Alone, 
A brave last stand 
In wondrous glory 
Through its seasons 
Through its story 
Gracing our world with strength and beauty 
Fulfilling its noble duty 
to natural life 
roosting birds 
Insect and owl
Weathering raging storms and the howling words of wind 
Again, and again standing strong in rain and hail. 

(Then, there’s the greedy progress of HS2 rail) 
Build more roads! our government said 
(to quote Liz Truss)
who threw our country under a bus
The Queen is dead 
Knock down the trees, 
Chop them asunder 
Haggle and blunder for a faster train;
A train to nowhere 
To a concrete plain. 
Build more and more and go forth 
Knock down trees to gain faster journeys to the North. 

Damn your pride!
Your ecocide.

The last straw 
That sticks in our craw 
is The Sycamore Tree standing tall 
in our green and pleasant land
Guarding the gap in Hadrian’s wall 
Withstanding two world wars
Till underhand vandal villains came with saws
cutting it through
(shame on you)
and tore it apart 
making it fall. 
Breaking our heart 


Lesley Scoble, October 2023

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Here are my notes on some of the subjects I mention in my poem.

NOTES

HS2 Rail
The original plan for HS2’s route was to reach the far-flung regions  of the North of England at high speed. This is now changed. It will only reach Birmingham for sure (which was already accessible by fast trains service). The HS2 rail’s destructive route carves its way through hundreds of hectares of ancient woodland sites, destroying them. These are wooded areas dating back at least 1600 AD century. The high cost of both economic and environmental loss of these forests is why I disapprove of this railway.

Liz Truss 
Liz Truss, member of Parliament (MP) for South West Norfolk, was Prime Minister for 50 days. This makes her the shortest running PM in British history. It only took her this brief time to bring our economy to its knees.

Liz Truss met with the Queen on September 6, 2022 at Balmoral Castle. During this formal, traditional meeting called the ‘kissing of hands’, the Queen appointed the worst PM ever to form a government.

“more roads”
In Liz Truss’s debut speech outside No. 10 Downing Street, the new PM stressed she would ensure more roads. There was no mention of trees or protection for the environment. No mention of climate change. Not one word. Not a crumb towards protecting nature or wildlife. “More roads” were all she was interested in.

The Queen
On the 8th of September (two days after meeting Liz Truss) Her Royal Majesty the Queen died.

Ecocide
Ecocide is not only the murderous crime against nature—it is also a crime against humanity. We go with it.

The felling of the Sycamore Tree of Hadrian’s Wall
The upsetting and criminal destruction of the tree was on the 27th/28th of September 2023.
Northumbria police said that a 16-year-old boy and a man in his 60s were under arrest for chopping the famous landmark tree down and released on bail.

The beautiful solitary tree grew in the gap of Hadrian’s Wall for 150 years. 

Our Green and Pleasant Land
“Our green and pleasant land” is a quote from William Blake’s famous poem ‘And did those feet in ancient time’ (better known as ‘Jerusalem’) written in 1804 as a preface to his epic two book poem, Milton, published in 1808.

William Blake’s poem

And did those feet in ancient time,
Walk upon Englands mountains green:
And was the holy Lamb of God,
On Englands pleasant pastures seen!

And did the Countenance Divine,
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here,
Among these dark Satanic Mills?

Bring me my Bow of burning gold:
Bring me my Arrows of desire:
Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold:
Bring me my Chariot of fire!

I will not cease from Mental Fight,
Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand:
Till we have built Jerusalem,
In Englands green & pleasant Land.

William Blake

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To leave you on a cheerful note, here is a photograph I took in North Yorkshire in February this year. A lone tree still standing.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
My gratitude and thanks to Sadje, and her #WDYS photo poetry prompt that inspired my poem about the solitary sycamore tree. Thank you Björn and d’Verse Poets for motivating me to write it in the collective second person singular.

Image Credit
mbll. @ Pixabay

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Lesley lives in the City of London Square Mile. An artist, actor and sculptor (her first ceramic sculpture won the V&A inspired by… Award). Scenic artist & book illustrator, playwright, (her musical play, Rapscallion performed in inner city schools and theatre school); TV dancer; Animator and illustrator for TV production. Set up Pinecone Studios Ltd and IIMSI Ltd drama and filmmaking workshops in London – producing award-winning films made by children.