While the world ponders

All creatures great and small

While the world ponders
She aches
Endlessly pushing
Needing
Wanting
Her
To breathe ...
Briefly pausing
To eat,
But knowing
That if she drops her
She'll be
Lost to the sea ...
While the world ponders
She's just a mother
Circling
Swimming
Too tired
To grieve

Author's Note

https://globalnews.ca/news/4378738/orca-pushing-dead-calf/

Reviews

[Lydia Shutter]

Mothers....no matter what species....we only want our children to be happy and healthy. Beautifully written...so empathetic. Lydi**

[Lyn Anderson]

Whales have been a passion of mine since I was a kid. This story is tragic on many levels. The fate of an entire pod is in question as politicians debate with scientists and people try not to attach human emotions to the whale because that would up our obligations to right the wrongs we have perpetrator.

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

We try always to do our best...even when there is nothing we can do ...the world just goes on...we dont.

[Lyn Anderson]

This is so true

[Relic]

I heard about this sad tale. It is a perfect example of an animal having feelings beyond what many imagined. If whales--or any sea creature could talk, we would be amazed at what we never knew.

[Lyn Anderson]

Thank you. I am glad she is back eating and swimming with her pod

[Ted Kniffen]

There is very little to say. A mother's grief, human or otherwise, is a heartfelt process made more so when you realize that she cared more for her lost child than a lot of humans do who abandon their young for no other reason than convenience.

A good write Lyn

[Lyn Anderson]

Thanks so much

[Neville]

There is so much more than sadness here, even an ocean, can not contain a mothers grief.

If it was not for the knot in my throat, I would articulate more fully my contempt for all those who would hurt, hunt or harm such magnificent creatures..... Neville

[Lyn Anderson]

Thanks. She finally let go on day 17. But what of the pod that has not had a live birth in 3 years? I believe they are ghosts to remind us of all our human failings. Between contamination, hunting, and over fishing their food source, we have sentenced them to extinction

[Neville]

I wonder too but do so hope you are wrong....

[charlie]

Doesn't it just break your heart...
The poem is a sombre scene of all mothers having lost a child.

(Did you know Orca are dolphins ?)

[Lyn Anderson]

Yes, they are a toothed whale belonging to the order dolphinidae - they are all amazing creatures, with incredible pair and pod bonding behaviours. It is really distressing to know this pod may be functionally extinct due to contamination of their food source. We humans are a sad and greedy lot

[charlie]

We've become disconnected.

[Chris Shaw]

It never ceases to amaze me the natural nurturing instincts of animals. I have seen programmes of elephants grieving their dead. This afternoon I watched two grebes looking after their chick. They put some humans to shame, the care and attention they were giving to its welfare. You have written a beautiful piece here Lyn. Well done.

Chris

[Lyn Anderson]

Thank you. I have loved whales since i was a small child. The movie Orca made an impression on me. Oddly, that movie dealt with this very subject, except that it was the grieving father who took revenge on the murderous people. I rooted for the whale the whole movie.

[Chris Shaw]

I would have done the same.

[wordman]

and all for the greed of man,,sad

[Lyn Anderson]

Surely we have done much damage

[wordman]

elephants ivory,whales,lions and bears,deer. it will never stop

[Corset]

This is so sad, you've done a beautiful job telling her story. This reminds us that animals carry hope just as we do, grieve like we do, feel as we can, think , plan and try, and keep trying when all hope is gone, she must be in denial or she instinctively knows she must do all she can before giving up.

[Lyn Anderson]

It is awful. This has been known about whales for a long time, but the length of time she's hanging on is so sad

[Corset]

I suppose there is no time limit for grief or hope.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

mothers love, mothers protect, mothers grieve...a mother should not have to bury a child ever...
to me this shows a child being stillborn ....the saddest...as human life never gets a chance to find the breaths of life, existence, love.
j.

[Lyn Anderson]

Yes. And we need to accept and realise other creatures feel such pain. That poor Orca.