EARTH DAY, 1990

Earth Day

Sounds like a birthday

Hey! The planet’s lived another year!

I’m feelin’ kinda guilty tho--

I burned sunflower stalks and raspberry canes

In a pit outside last week

I didn’t put any paper

In the recycling box today

I throw away plastic milk jugs

And glass juice bottles

Once a week I haul

2 black bags down to the road

Take that! You 4.7 billion-year-old coot

So yer havin’ a birthday

And want me to come

Even though I’m delinquent?

Yeah, I threw a banana peel

And watermelon rinds on the garden

Instead of in the wastebasket

I’m writing on paper with type on the

Other side

I don’t use aerosols much

I don’t drive a car

I wanna start another lilac bush

Well, Eartha, old girl,

Let’s hope ya have many more Earth Days

Despite yer trashy parasites

By Kathy M. Austin

"I strive to commune with nature in downtown Calgary by scooping up pigeon feathers to make a wreath, harvesting dandelion flowers for delicious cookies, and insisting on growing a garden two hundred feet in the air at the northwest corner of the building! "

Kathy also facilitates the Creative Writing Club downtown Central Library, where she provides interactive and creatively musing exercises for all to enjoy.