The One Million

My passion is wildlife

My compulsion to write

About endangered species

Even more so those critically

Those on the way over the edge

Or already over, clinging on

I write to collect the strands

To weave into a rope

A very big rope, super strong

A rescue rope

Nothing less is needed

A rescue mission must be mounted

(Admittedly, 'Slightly Mad' I take this on)

Many hands make life work

Gather all the resources

Bring the fading back to life, brilliantly

But there are many, so very many

Not just those unfortunates

On the Critically Endangered List

Not just the hundreds

On the ICUN Red list

(That’s a life’s work

For a endangered species poet)

There are more, so very many more

Dr Evil’s ‘One Million Dollars!’

He wasn’t so out of date

‘One million’ is a hell of a lot

When it comes to possible extinctions

One Million Species under threat

It will take millions, even billions

To turn things back

Humans pledging to act

Using words, minds and wallets

Changing habits, choosing kind

To enact a threat reversal

No ransom to be paid

It is an investment in a future

To clear us of historic blame

Where our descendants will also get to see

All the current birds in the sky

All the insects, bees and butterflies

All the animals on the land, and underground

All the life in the rivers, lakes and seas

On the polar ice and volcanic vents, undersea

From the stratosphere to the deepest trench

All niches occupied by life prolific

So many, so very, very many

Not missing any one, let alone one million

This is not the work of any one, but millions

Not even millions as already seen

It’s a worldwide endeavour, billions needed

A place for everyone to make their mark

One thing alone, in all these hearts

Has the power to achieve the great turning

Recognition of the sanctity of life

Enshrined in our most sacred place

Our hearts to rule or minds

Then to see that Earth is life’s only sanctuary

For all we know, in the cold universe

Sanctuary Earth will then be gazetted

Universally

And we its custodians and keepers

Its rangers and protectors

Sentinels overwatching

#sacrosanct will reign

In our (more than) sanctuary

Sacrosanctuary!

It doesn’t end there

Because as yet it hasn’t started

Here and now must become nowafter

Now is the time, already escaping

We have to set out

In hot pursuit, to overtake

And regain the advantage

How shall we outrun time

Run it down?

Add your one to another’s

And another’s - collectively

Join and recruit, cross over

Rightsided

In this history unfolding

We don’t want to be caught

Wronsided

Join the community of animal lovers

Nature lovers, life affirmers

Receive the names and the stories

That long list of the endangered

Keep the species top of mind

And at the heart of what matters

That’s my job to keep it coming

Going all out full time

Spread the word, weave the rope itself

Anchor the handmade rescue rope

While those at the front

Throw the lifeline

The rest to pull them back, in unison

One by one if necessary

‘Hold onto hope as you would a rescue rope’

This is the ‘Endgame’ that is no game

But if we don’t play so many will end

So very many

Hope might seem besieged

But a world community can keep it burning

Spread the flame, inflame the passions

Which is where all this begins

And where this poem began

Full circle  - never ends

Now to complete the circle of life

Keep it preserved to keep rolling

Ecocycling into to future

As the Earth keeps turning

If the Earth was an Ark

As well as a sanctuary

It would be calling

'All aboard' likeminders

Fellow travellers:

‘Embarking’!

This is what I do

And this is how, in verse

But I can’t even get to the bottom

Of my shortlist

While working full-time

Distracting livelihood, meaningless pursuit

Counterproductive, contraindicated

I am only one, but I want to write

Full-time, my passion is my work

Yet it will need an army of such creators

To make a dent in one million

Unless we cut the list

In half, then in half, and keep going

Until there is only a short list

That's the passionate goal

This is what I will do...

(I play/write in 4Elements - there will be more)

In 4 Levels, more details in the Extras

First, follow my passion full time

The many paying just a $few

Membership Level 1 'Stars'

Element 1. Endangered

Second, launch ‘Satellites’

Eyes in the sky

Change watchers, alerters

Download advisories

Upload stories

Terrestrial links

Membership Level 2 'Satellites'

Elements 1 and 2. (+Environment)

Second too, but concurrently

Convene a collective core

The wildly creative wildlife art creators

Bounce our talents off each other

To multiply our output

Artistic messages of urgency and hope*

Our job to churn out, agitate

The message-laden works, clear

For all to see and hear

Calling to action, never too soon

Content rules this domain

Special Membership - Class Action

Adding their own Elements

Third, invite a base of members

Join the Tribe of Earth carers

To share in special contact and content

In turn to take in and share

This expanding body of creative work

Words, images, artworks, music

Impassioned

Designed to capture minds and hearts

The accumulators

Of the daily actions required, impactful

Effectors of change, agents

Of the agency of the earth

On the ground

Tribe, bonded together

(one already named)

Membership Level 3 'Tribe'

Element 1 - 3. (+Ethos)

Fourth, the Inner Circle

Adept influencers

Prominently persuasive

Well-connected

Stand-alone, better together

Multipliers

Mantle

Surrounding the core

Membership Level 4 'Mantle'

Elements 1 - 4. (+Exegesis)

4 Elements come together

Levelling Up

Endangered

Environment

Ethos

Exegesis

4E

There will be laterally

Other entwined projects, in time

Causal Long Walks, Treks

Visits, when again free to travel

Compositions provoked

And shared along the way

Special Projects - content and inclusion

Time to land this flight of fancy

For the mad entry to disembark.

The content of the Wildly Creatives

Will first of all assuage

Then presage 'The Kindness'

Opener of the inner chamber door, the key

Where the sanctuary will be forged

Each member to share the entry code

Letting in all who share the feeling

As the others issue out into the world

Carrying the message of hope

The love of life, respect and care

Clutching their place on the rescue rope

Throwing in their lot with a lot of others

Mounting the rescue mission, as one

*First, there will be a series on hope

(Already 5 parts)

Without which there is no rope

No hope of rescue

One Million reasons not to let go…

Quoting Freddie Mercury, signing off

right at the end of my theme song

'I'm Going Slightly Mad'

...'and there you have it!'

References

Poems by A.E. Lovell, self-quoting

Sacrosanct

Endgame Part 1. Hope Besieged

Embarking

Kindsided

Song Lyrics

'I'm Going Slightly Mad' Queen, from the Album ‘Innuendo’

EXTRAS - Supporting information

Appreciations

In the beginning, I thought that the appellation ‘poet’ was a bit far-fetched, but I took on that title after is was ascribed to me by the wildlife platform Mojo Streaming. One of my ‘poems’ had more than 600 hits in their blog. They called me a Wildlife Poet, and I grew into it.

I also thought that the appeal of my poems might be largely restricted to my own head and tastes, but I keep getting appreciations - above the Likes - on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, sample below:

Another home run! Knockout poem!

J.R. Bennett

Thank you for this beautiful and powerful verse.

Carly Ahlen, Wild@Life e.V

Another brilliant poem. I am eager to see this on MojoStreaming (wildlife network) so I can boost it - to pass on your words - impactful words, words of reason, words that help spread the message.

Cami Ciotta

Just a quick thanks for the wonderful poem you posted on MojoStreaming. Our VP Development was so touched by it she posted it on our Facebook page, and boosted it. The world needs more Anthony Lovells. 

Bernard van Speyk, President

Words can’t describe how beautifully painful this one is. The plight of Pangolins.

Swati Singh

For sure, A.E., your poetry does hit the mark with more people than you know…

Lynne Crestitello

You truly are a poet!

Ingrid Lung, The Earth Agency

(Images of comments available)

Even if I am slightly mad, there is external evidence for the appeal of my work - and the value in sharing it.

I am also mad enough to take a version of this project to the corporate realm, engaging employees and Corporate Social Responsibility. That’s another story.

Fanciful reflections on monetising (without the benefit of consulting Memberful - yet)

Level 1. $1 per month

‘Stars’

All in at arms length

Remote observers, stars

General consumers

No expectations

Come and go as you please

Every dollar adds up

To more poems

Level 2. $2 per month

‘Satellites’

Outer orbiters, satellites

Upload and download links

Communication

Level 3. $5 per month

‘Tribe’

The tribe, initiated

Live and breathe wildlife

Together

Self-selected

Transmitters, Repeaters

The messages will be sent

Broadcast across networks

(For the price of a coffee)

Caffeine-powered

Level 4. (Energy Exchange?)

‘Mantle’

Circle of influence

Holders of the molten core

Triple A Rated containers

Front-liners, headliners

Advocates, Ambassadors

Avatars

(Carol for Cats - exemplary))

Special Memberships

Class Action

‘The Core’

Wildly Creatives

Content creators

Impulse artists

Passion stokers, sharers

Fire lighters

At the heart

The heart

Buy In Special Projects (as evolving)

‘Thinkwalkers’

There will be walks, and treks

For talking the walk

Meaningful visits, fact-finding

Workshops and retreats

Project visits

(When travel is finally allowed)

Learning and contributing

Opt In, project by project

Maybe Orangutans, maybe Pangolins

Watching Cetaceans

On demand

THE END - Not Yet