A collaborative poem written by and presented to our group by our Day 5 co-chairs after our lovely MLO, Clarke, lead us in a session of bootcamp pushups!
There once was a team who went to PEI
They started with vigor and flair.
On day 1 it took them till past midnight,
To finally run out of hot air.
Lobster fishers told tales of the middle man’s take,
And no one fell from the top of the bridge
Perhaps monoculture potatoes are a mistake.
Meanwhile teachers are students at Holland College.
On day 2 we saw Anne, her players a roar.
Cluster models seemed shiny and bright.
Red squares and labour were hardly a bore.
Luckily, at the jailhouse we won’t spend a night.
The Minister of Finance likes DIY and CPP
Vector Aero runs it’s processes lean.
Frosty treats are a legend and very tasty.
Our day 3 Acadian kitchen party–truly a vibrant scene.
The discussions are flowing in our wonderful group,
Coming together to make collective idea soup.
We’ll raise the awareness of the island’s complex systems.
And have tales of our travels and many learned lessons.
Garbage dumps are the only ones without links,
To our friends at Holland and their connected hijinks.
Irish Moss is fetched from the sea by the wind,
Just like the megawatts of green power that portend.
A future of questions about funding and access,
That demands the health system keep hunting for success.
Sustainable dining and a chef who does dishes,
At the Shipwright’s, seafood bubble enchants
In the fresh lilac air, slant light,
Red sand wishes
Of ways to see clearer a coherent vision
NGOs, Government, Business, and Labour
We have all come together to realise this opportunity
The Island grants us as a contemplative favour
To dissect intersections and tensions in the communities
Adapting and changing, our cores stay the same
As our perspectives widen to benefit collective gains
For the tiny island with a humbling heart that fuels the country’s game
On a global scale, they’re moving mountains.
Present we are for the future we build
We recognize the past and we study our fears
That keep us from collaborating. Our assumptions we’ve tilled
We’ll raise awareness and reach out to prevent future youth tears
Day 5 you are glorious, our tribute to you
Is to learn all new lessons and share in our views
And proactively approach all that comes next too
You have served us well, we are grateful to you our muse.
********************
Can we begin to think about working together without recognizing where we each come from, or the experiences we bring to the table?
How can we better value and appreciate our various positions?
We need to heal from divisive fragmentation without losing respect for our differences. And we need to respect a diversity of tactics in our quest for a better future, and adopt multi-pronged approaches to our movements.
We need more of the types of leaders Kropotkin might have envisioned for our world today.
We are all affected by the complex systems in which we are all intertwined. And we must share the responsibility. In that responsibility, we have to be cognizant of our privilege and power, and help shoulder the burden for those who have access to less.
Numbers are important, but they don’t tell all the truths. Focusing too much on the bottom line, or statistical data doesn’t help us ask the questions integral to participating in ethical forms of sustainability.
We need to be uncomfortable. Comfort is where the status quo thrives stagnant. That’s not working, and we need to take action to break that mould.
Just some thoughts.
Sol,
M
Well done, PEI Tour Group!!! Sounds like you are having a great adventure!!! A special hello to Wendy Dale Woodford, my friend and collegue. I hope it is all you thought it would be and more!!! All the best in the rest of your tour. Karen