Page 62 - Eggs and Ashes pages

Lent discipline 61

The sea – a conversation

Voice of the sea
I am full of fine foods and beautiful treasures;
you may have them, you may see them.
I delight in providing for you.
Sustenance and beauty I give you,
O stewards, appointed by God.

Voice of commerce
I supply fish, ‘The Big Dish’;
the market demands seafood – high in protein, low in fat,
an abundant harvest there for the taking.
Faster efficient methods bring
first-rate produce at a reasonable price.
But it’s not easy.
The profits are small:
insurance, equipment, boats, wages,
fishing grounds used by others,
and suddenly – fewer fish.
A short term problem, no doubt, but worrying …

Voice of the sea
You take too much!
I am rich and I am splendid,
but not infinitely so.
Curb your desires or I cannot nourish you.
Stop or both you and I will expire.

Voice of commerce
Wonderful place the sea, so deep, so vast,
our rubbish and sewage, in time, all recycled.
Amazing!
Fathomless depths
where we can safely leave nuclear waste till it is harmless;
waste which would otherwise contaminate the land.
And the sea provides cheap fuel
for our industry and homes.
Jobs for oil-riggers – prosperity for the country.
Just wonderful.