SEED POEMS: Michelle Otero, Carmen Canela, Annie Lechuga, Isabel Becerra, Shyzir Taplin

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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 this 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                                                                  Glass encased this life 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 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

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

this

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
                                                                

Glass encased this life

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

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