Hum
The modern machines
are too quiet,
humming in harmony,
but muted,
and we live unaware
of their conversions.
The engines of nature
have no buffers
over the rustling of leaves
the chirping of birds,
the scratching of wood,
or the calls in the night,
except for the stealth
of the predators.
-Robert L. Jackson III
Excellent.. sound of machines made me think of the buzz saw in Out Out by Robert Frost... somehow silence is even more eerie
ReplyDeleteYour write today made me think of, "Bernie Krause on the disappearing music of the natural world." If you google that, there is much that I think would interest you. Thank you for the post.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I'll definitely check that out.
DeleteSssshhhh :)
ReplyDeleteWell written.
ZQ
I love the contrast....the hum of machines against the sounds of the natural world.
ReplyDeleteThis made me think of electric cars, they are so quiet it's unnerving. Nice comparison.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully done: the hum of machines juxtaposed against the sounds of nature. A wonderfully rendered piece that gives one pause.
ReplyDeleteNicely done! Silent predators indeed!
ReplyDeleteA succinct and powerful poem - superb
ReplyDeleteHmmm, a nice point about the stealth of the predators, causing a chilling double-take.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago they decided to resurface a main road close by, but to cause as little interference with the daytime traffic did the work at night so residents within a few hundred metres had their sleep disturbed for about a fortnight. Such is life in a city!
ReplyDeleteReally thought-provoking. I really prefer the machines of nature to the noisy man-made contraptions all around!
ReplyDeleteOh, I too prefer to hear the machines of nature. A few years back there was a severe drought in our part of Texas and there were few bird songs. It was scary.
ReplyDelete