100 DAYS OF POETRY: DAY 57 - Grizzly Island

Grizzly Island
By Stephen Martin

My son nuzzled in the crook of my arm,
We decide to watch a new show.

One of those Animal Planet shows where they explore extreme
Conditions in nature.

We have this thing where both of us have to agree on a show.

That means I’m stuck with PG.

So, in the first episode they visit Shark Island,
We both enjoy it.

The next day we try another,

This time Grizzly Island.

The premise is what gets me.
The question is raised,
“How is it possible that more grizzly bears inhabit this one island off the coast of Alaska
Than the entire lower 48 states of the US?”
Especially since,
“Grizzlies are highly territorial and the males are known killers.”

At the end they surmise that the abundance of salmon rich streams transversing
The island provide the grizzlies with options.

If a large male is in a great spot for gathering salmon,
No biggie, the next bear meanders a half mile or so and dips its paws into another option.

This got me to thinking.
If grizzlies can do it,
Why not us?
If resources were so abundant that we could casually pick up our wants and needs
As we transverse our day,
Would we have a reason to tear each other apart?

I’m sure the gruffness would still exist,
And that an occasional murder would happen from time to time,
But if grizzlies can coexist in such saturation,
And with relative ease,
Then could we not also make a go of it?

It seems like the largest thing holding us back
Is our belief that we are not capable of creating abundance,
Or that we are tied to an evil nature,
But if a deadly wilderness monster can become temperate,
Why not us?

Why not shed the crippling belief that human nature is corrupt?
Why not have faith that we can transcend our misery?
For truly is our condition akin to living in hell if there is no chance for hominid
Proliferation.

For our abundance is our gift.
We are not bound to this rock as the grizzly bear is.
We are free to leave,
But we must believe that a Deus Ex Machina is not the only way for us to experience heaven.

Art sourced from Pixabay

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