Cities Are Like Trees (poem) by Leland Waldrip on AuthorsDen

Cities Are Like Trees
by Leland Waldrip → (All Poetry by Leland Waldrip)
Rated "G" by the Author.

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I love trees. If you look down on a big tree left growing in a corn field, you will see that the tree uses all the water and nutrients in its area and the corn plants in that area are emaciated and fruitless. The trees are probably worth the decrease in grain production for the shade values they provide. At least the trees reach a defined limit to their growth. Cities are now sucking the water from wide areas that were formerly used to produce food. The diverted water translates to potential grain at a ratio of one thousand to one, by weight. Cities have limits on growth too, but are apt to grow far beyond their real limit before retracting or collapsing.

Heat waves wriggle across the flat, Dark green corn of uniform height, Near field edge, trees mark the plat, Break eight foot, monotonous sight. Thirty feet from trees, plants turn pale, Shrinking, as nearer shade they grow, Leaves shrivel, curl, diminish in scale, Ears, if at all, no kernels high or low. Cities, like trees, need water to grow. Thousands of cities and small towns Satisfy needs for their water flow By making agricultural writedowns. Farmer sells his irrigation allotment — Folks flush johns, soak lawns green, Wash cars and spray the cement, Cook dinner and wash plates clean. Industry uses lots for boiling things, And washing down and washing up. Doing whatever their idea brings, To make sure it’s all adding up. Cities have a limited elasticity — When too many people in town, Suck food production capacity From farming country ground. Example of city sucking farms dry: San Diego and Imperial Valley bargain 247 million tons of their water pie = 247 kilotons per year of grain — Grain that won’t bake into bread, Or feed to produce milk and meat, No cereal and fruit on table spread, Nor crackers and cheese treat. Aquifers are being relentlessly mined, Never again old wells recharge, New wells, ever deeper, we find, With pumping cost increases large. “Cities are sound,” ecologically touted, “By concentrating people in a heap,” But footprint is lifestyle fully outed, Transport spreads it wide and deep. Bottom line: Population ever increasing Reaches limits, concentrated or spread. “Earth can’t heal wounds never ceasing, Numeric attrition is fate,” Nature has said. We can reduce numbers by rational plan, Set program of voluntary limits on family size And beat official drum for excess kid ban — Or blunder into penury, painful and unwise. © 2008 R. Leland Waldrip

Reviewed by Alexandra* OneLight*� Authors & Creations

Reviewed on September 18, 2008

Prof. Hull lifts the lid on another important issue, Leland. Farmland, insufficient as it may be to cater to the needs of populations, is already extending well beyond the limits of forest balance in far too many parts of the world, and thus Nature�s �lungs� � ultimately, supplying breathable air to our own � are being �crushed� at an unimaginable speed, not only through the obvious expansion of the cities. Our vision needs to be objectively focused on the several links of cause and effect of uncontrolled population growth � and this has not been seriously addressed in any part of the world, really. The so-called �first world� nations tend to shed the full load of responsibility on �third world� countries and their lack of birth-control policies and education, but they (we) keep on providing (again, I quote Prof. Hull) tax credit for large families (with all due respect for those who choose to have large families) - and don�t even blink at the expansion of fertility clinics, the increased use of surrogate mothers, or the flourishing business of sperm �donation� (recently, a special news feature on this subject mentioned the example of a sperm �donor� who had �fathered� nothing less than 60 children). Go figure�
Thanks for one more eye-opener, my dearest friend, and keep them coming, even if, as an old Portuguese saying goes, �there are no blinder blinds than the ones who don�t want to see�.
Lots of love and great-big {{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}
Alexandra*

Reviewed by Ronald Hull

Reviewed on September 17, 2008

Great analogy, Leland. Although you could get me started over corn, biofuel, and corn fed cattle. I prefer buffalo meat and prairie switch grass.

It is interesting that trees can help keep the heat island cities like Houston cooler and have better water tables. Unfortunately, only live oaks need apply.

When cities grow to the size of Mexico City and Calcutta they become so dysfunctional that their shadow is global. Why we forgive illegal immigration and continue tax credit for large families is beyond me.

Suck, suck, suck, until we are all sucked dry like a quarter of the Earth already is.

Ron

Reviewed by Karen Palumbo

City after city has allowed the continued flow of people, but has not addressed the infrastructure to withstand the influx. People are told to use less, less, less of energy consumption to the point where things are bound to break, nice and informative piece....

Be always safe,
Karen

Reviewed by Kimmy Van Kooten

"...Set program of voluntary limits on family size"
"Trees Suck"
Damn, and I like trees! and,
I can't imagine what God meant when he said, "Be fruitful and multiply"???
Your write has some strong points...but, I can see your point...
Call it Faith, He has it all under control! Remember, he already predicted, and knew us way before we were even thought of...!
:)
Lord knows us just writing about it, won't help! I believe that is the real problem...too many people pointing and not enough picking up the shovels, so to speak! Me included...we know the problems aren't going to take care of themselves, yet, we do nothing but complain.
What a world, What a world...(the last line of the Wicked Witch of the West in "The Wizard of Oz")

Love and Peace~
Kimmy~

Reviewed by Michael Guy

People take "use of water" for granted - but a "watery day of judgement" is fast coming at such growth rates left uncontrolled by all. Here in Marion Co. FL we have a very beautiful river: the Ocklawaha, that's been holding its own. But now State authorities want to "draw or send" water from it to the city of Orlando in the near future to satisfy a very ugly, uncontrolled sprawling growth-rate. And Orlando is not even in our county! All here are against it, but the State says the waters belong to "all".
Regulatory abuse if ever there was. So a beautiful river is to be sacrificed tor man's ugly cities?
Anyway, you said it poetically well and scientifically accurate.
best, michael guy

Reviewed by Mr. Ed

Bottom line: Population ever increasing
Reaches limits, concentrated or spread.
�Earth can�t heal wounds never ceasing,
Numeric attrition is fate,� Nature has said.

A topic most never address, and one that will become increasingly important, as time goes on. Our urban sprawl seems to have no end; we lose more and more farm land, every day; our population is exploding; and we already import more food for our tables than most Americans even realize. The future looks very grim, indeed.

Reviewed by Karla Dorman, The StormSpinner

Reviewed on September 16, 2008

I fear soon there will be no more trees, due to the intrusion of cities, ever growing: would much rather see foliage than buildings and their attendant rises in crime and pollution! Excellent write, Leland.

(((HUGS))) and love, Karla.

Reviewed by OnepoetGem *the Poetic Rapper

hello L, you're right about those trees, the one in my yard stops my drain up with it's roots seeking water, I have to get my drains cleaned about twice a year or my toilet will back up. As far as intelligent design goes, I think we are both stuck on how we feel about that, believing gives me comfort, we both exercise our right to chose, keep the faith, strike that, hehe just picking with you

Reviewed by Regis Auffray

Bottom line: Population ever increasing
Reaches limits, concentrated or spread.
�Earth can�t heal wounds never ceasing,
Numeric attrition is fate,� Nature has said

You make some very valid and timely points in your poem here, Leland. Thank you. Love and peace to you,

Regis