Page 70 - Antennae Issue #52

Spring Island to to be closer to to the the medical specialists in in in in Vancouver Vancouver On my my first night in in in in in my my new Vancouver Vancouver home I I I I awoke with horror around dawn knowing there was something wrong I I I I I couldn’t figure it it out Then I I I I I did It was the the the the the silence of of of the the the the the birds I I I I I had become accustomed to to the the the the the roar of of of the the the the the dawn chorus on on on Salt Spring Now I I I heard the the the the the cry of of of ambulances and sirens No No bird song This is is is what most people in in in Vancouver are are unconsciously missing The shrubs and and and trees that provide us us colour and and and blossoms are are food and and and habitat for other creatures including birds The city is taking some measures to to slow down our contribution to to the the epic avalanche of of of worldwide species loss Much of of of Vancou- ver is is terrifyingly empty of of of birds birds so so trees trees for for nesting shelter and food are also being planted along with native trees trees for for for bugs that can nourish birds birds That said the the the city council is is still allowing the the the erasure of of of swaths of of of tree tree habitat for for new hous- ing ing developments under the the the assumption perhaps that not enough of of of us us do pay attention My research for this piece (Vancouver’s history ecology collective love of our our gardens) made reality return with with a a a a a a a a a a a a a vengeance I I I realized with with some horror what what I I I I was doing I I I I (again) set down my pruning shears forever “O mother tell your children not to do do do do what what I I I have done!” You — good citizens that almost all of of you you are walking unconsciously in in in beauty living among the the the the few sanctuaries of of of of birds the the the the glory of of of the the the the trees and flowers treat our our city of of of gardens with respect Save the the the the flow- ers ers for your children Yes pay attention!
Myself? Though spring approaches its end and and with it it it the great flush of Vancouver’s roses roses no longer will I prowl our evenings pruning shears in in in in in hand even even though my damaged heart is exploding like one of those deep red roses roses Stolen beauty beauty has a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a unique dangerous quality But it’s also a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a destructive quality quality never as as as special as as as admiring natural natural beauty beauty in in in its natural natural place and and living like the the the flowers who behave the the the way life lives — our real duty to bloom and and and and grow bright and and then fade and and die Brian Brett is is is is a a a a a a a a a a a Canadian poet journalist editor and and and novelist He has been writing and and and publishing since the late 1960s and and and he is is is a a a a a recipient of British Columbia’s Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence His books include most recently Tuco: The Parrot the the the the Others and the the the the Scattershot World winner of the the the the Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize Jeff Downer is is a a a a a a a a a Vacouver based photographer His work aims to to explore potency in in in the ordinary creating images that por- tray the the the surreal in everyday life Humour melancholy and discrepancies: the the the subjects of the the the photographs are observations on on our lives lived ordinarily 70 antennae