Maurer/Timm Quail Ridge UCD Student Endowment Order Books here Original Poems and Thoughts website Email Frank here: frankmaurer41@gmail.com

Poems and Thoughts by Frank Maurer

Search for:   All Poems   Topics   Titles   Help

Environment

The Glitter Problem opus 267

Living in the country, one always feels clean and fresh,
Until that deflated birthday balloon plops down in one's field.
I had enough, and went to the supervisors of Davis,
The people of which often celebrated by releasing balloons.
Explaining the problem, they voted to cease such a practice!.
Good! But now I hear of a micro mode of pollution:
The increased use of very small glitter,
Especially on women's attire--even lipstick!
As these tiny particles disperse,
They literally diffuse into everything--
Oceans, lakes, rivers, fields, cities and towns--
Basically everywhere;
Composed of micro plastics that give a visual thrill,
But then a major headache as to their disposal.
These miniscule pollutants are ingested into many living creatures--
Fish, birds, mammals--hey, that includes us!

Do we really have any idea how we are
Just plain screwing up our living quarters??

Cold Drizzle opus 269

A cloud ceiling dominated the sky,
Spewing a light, cold drizzle over the earth:
(At least cold for a California morning).

A 'V' of Canada Geese pumped the air overhead,
Crying out, perhaps with joy, to be able
To levitate through the misty ether.

To My Dermatologist, Christie Carroll, et al opus 273

I would like to take a moment
To thank you for the several times
You have salvaged my aging life.
This is why I feel I am obligated
To give back as best I can
To my wonderful society and all it has given me.
When I am no longer to be productive--
However that might be interpreted--
I ask only that our citizens remember
The attempts I have made
To augment our environment in all its forms.
I truly wish I could live longer
To have the time to pay back what I justly owe.

Is Humanism a Solution? opus 277

Humanism is a thrust towards 'truth' for all humanity,
As is Feminism a similar thrust towards
Treating all human sexes equally.
The dogma that 'we' are the perfect truth,
Or that 'we' must exist because
There are so many adherents, for so long,
'When examined carefully, do not reach
The aspirations of most thinking people.
Humanism is an approach to life for those who wish
To live with intellectual integrity, based on reason,
Evidence, and a desire to do and be good,
Not interfering with people's rights
To their own beliefs and freedom of expression.' *
This is as long as groups are treated with tolerance,
Using no violence on either side.
There is no deity that lies in wait to chastise or punish us.
It is only we who would then chastise ourselves when appropriate.
Humanism also includes absolute caring and consideration for all other life--
To coexist and understand other creatures' actual evolutionary function,
And not simply conclude, without thoughtful consideration,
That some might be undesirable pests,
Thus caring for ALL life to thrive together on our originally very balanced planet.

* The God Argument, A,C, Grayling.

The Right-Handed Warthog opus 280

As I was perusing my recently acquired African Warthog skull--
Sustainably harvested from South Africa,
An old male with fairly worn tusks--
I noticed something noteworthy with both upper and lower tusks:
The normally long, sharp right tusks were both rounded,
Shorter, and somewhat dulled.
There was a clear differentiation between left and right.
I thought for a moment and realized that pigs root,
Especially with large tusks.
The animal had literally worn down the enlarged right teeth,
Rooting and searching for food over years of a lifetime!
Dentition of mammals is a utilized taxonomic character
And they evolved to function in each group,
Enhancing their specialities.
Consider our teeth, an omnivorous species,
Are very similar to--wait--those of bears and pigs!
Have fun thinking!

An Upper Trophic Level opus 281

I was comfortable with catfish as a product, raised in a hot summer environment. (Now after 40 years, summers are ever hotter--I remember at least three winters when all ponds would freeze over and the kids even skated -- not any longer.). While selling fish, customers had many questions, as is the wont in a direct Farmers Market. One, of course, was, 'Don't these fish feed on the bottom?' I quickly solved that one for a good reply, as well as for a better product: I used floating fish food, which created a wonderful feeding frenzy as well, which the many visiting school children immensely enjoyed! The nutrition of catfish flesh is quite complete and very healthy. But the 'haupt' subject which greatly worries me is the fact that we are fishing out our wild stocks, and, of course, most people wish to consume salmon and tuna and trout, all of which are on the top of the food chain--the highest trophic (feeding) level.

It worries me to see customers in a grocery store, ogling over salmon, when there are so many other, environmentally better fish species to be consumed. Captive salmon create their own problems such as antibiotics loose in the ocean near the floating pens, let alone the dissolving artificial food and fish waste. But most, the escape of domesticated varieties of salmon into the wild populations. Pond raised fish are isolated and do not create such problems. In general then, we must all be aware of the trophic levels from which WE feed as well!

Friend or Foe: The Red Cedar opus 282

Fifty years ago, the moderately scarce Red Cedar
Was often sought out for a Christmas tree on the landscape.
Now, with the Climate Crisis and drought in the Midwest,
Red Cedar are spreading and covering the landscape,
Out competing other plants in water efficiency.
This phenomenon, of course, increases fire incidents
As well as transpiring millions of gallons of much needed water.
Do we choose control burns to prevent fire?
Or to mass cut or chain drag populated treed areas--
Resulting in mass destruction to wipe out one renegade species?

Is this at all analogous to Israel's quandry
Of eliminating masses of innocent population, in order
To ferret out the fewer Hamas, who challenge Israel's existence?
Control of nature seems to often mirror the conundrums
Challenging human population's welfare.

The World's Panama Canal opus 283

The Panama Canal, like the Suez Canal,
Is critical for economizing world shipping,
Resulting from the hard-won excavation of miles of terrain.
Today, though, with so many actual and pending earth changes,
Drought is challenging the Canal's water levels,
Reducing the daily number and size of ships passing through.
Unknown to many, the Canal's water is not sea-, but fresh--
There are several springs in the local lakes providing such
And these water bodies are manifesting lowering levels.
These lakes also provide water
For several million inhabitants of Panama.
Once again, as will occur multiple times over,
Water for agriculture vs the cities
And at the Canal, water for transport vs the same,
Will be in constant competition to provide the growing demands
For food production, transport, and the ever increasing humankind.

Stirring up CO2 opus 285

A report just coming out states that bottom trawling
Is releasing CO2 from the substrate,
By stirring up, as well as , destroying such.
The results may show that this method of fishing
Is doubling the released once estimated CO2,
Relating to the whole world-wide fishing fleet.
There have been many former voices
Decrying the destruction of the seabed,
When not even considering the CO2 problem!

As with many human processes,
The Climate Crisis may force us
To reevaluate and then modify procedures,
Creating more favorable results
For both humans and our planet.

Yet Another Biological Team opus 290

Because of our ravaging, 'convenient' technology,
Our planet is warming faster than any past 'naturally' documented process.
As a result, oceans are rising and, by the way, are becoming more acidic.
Long before large human invasions, most predator/prey duos were stable.
Then came the Russians, French and others as fur trappers.
The Sea Otter was one victim because of its lush fur.
This species, now threatened, no longer has the numbers
To control the Asian Striped Shore Crab which burrows in the creekbank edges,
Which weakens the soil, causing whole chunks of marsh to calve off.
Specifically, the Elkhorn Slough, a coastal wetland,
Connected to the Monterey Bay area, once lost all its Sea Otters.
But now, with their return, they are ravagingly consuming the crabs,
Resulting in stronger marshland soundness and reduced erosion.
The otter's recolonization controls the crab population
And strengthens our shoreline to battle with the new impending threat.

As a footnote: Sea Otters control sea urchins, which destroy the kelp beds.
Concerning top predators, reintroduced wolves into YellowStone National Park
Are controlling elk and moose populations which consume tree saplings,
Thus alleviating the erosion-effect along riverbanks.

Each time we inadvertently destroy another creature,
We are weakening our own existence.

Fashion vs Function opus 294

In 1978, when I returned to my country after nine years away:
Teaching abroad--Turkiye, Africa, and Sweden.
My mother found a 37 acre property in Davis, California.
The original house was situated in a north-south orientation.
She wished to add on for her own personal abode,
So we discussed, by letter, the position of the attached new home.
The orientation, of course, was a right angle--east-west position,
That was to catch the rays of the sun!

Upon my arrival, Mother hired a contractor and commenced the building.
I stayed out of the further design and construction--
Her temperament was such that one did not interfere.

My mother has now passed and I live in her former abode.
All has been well, except for some of the house design.
The tiny, unrealistic solar box has been relegated, obsolete.
The magnificent timbers, supporting the beamed ceilings
Protrude out of the roof, emulating the ribs of a large dinosaur.
All was well, until the huge climate change storms began to emerge.
The 'ribs' had conducted intense rainstorm flows into the house!
Three buckets are now engaged with each storm
To prevent the flowing drips, moistening the contents within!
The moral of this is, which even Frank Lloyd Wright might have learned,
(A few of his designs are documented as having difficulties),
Flaunting architecture could be redesigned to render a humbler display.
(Consider the huge cumbersome tail of the Peacock to attract females
Against the overwhelming 'non dimensional' vocalizations of the Nightingale.)

Some General 'Rules' to Ponder. (Written With B. Franklin in Mind.) opus 307

A large monoculture is a dangerous thing.

Tolerance ultimately leads to peace.

Trial and error in biological systems
leads to continual, ultimate successes.

Following only one philosophy
can lead to the loss of unknown experience.

One must always be aware
of the limitations of the living system.

Happiness is not contentment
and joy cannot be continually experienced.

Restricted standards in biology
can often destroy the required variation for survival.

With only one, DNA based system of earthly life,
how could there ever be one ultimately 'special' life?

Humanism is the understanding and reverence for all life,
without an interfering supreme being.

By destroying your environment,
you are destroying yourself.

Without sex, life would be just a bunch of independent clones.

Without religion, early rulers could not
have well-controlled large groups of 'subjects'.
Perhaps such is still the same today?

A moderated, ritualized competition 'for the girl',
Might lead to a safer conclusion, as with many other life forms,
just as a good parasite should never kill its host.

No matter under what circumstances--
testerone, belief, and a resulting conflict
always lead to human tragedy.

Throughout the universe,
water may be the ultimate limiting factor.

Liquid, steam, and ice are the three forms of water.
How fortunate for many earthly forms of life
that the solid state is less dense than the liquid!

For every action, there is a reaction;
that includes chemistry, physics, and human emotion!

Without language, human emotion
would be expressed without a rainbow.

If heat did not rise, our first modes of flight
would have been impossible.

Without evolution, most niches for life
would have been unutilized.

The Hidden Perils of 'New' Technology opus 324

As the Romans reveled in their new technology with lead,
So we 'moderns' revel in the wonders of morphologically plastic, plastics.
Lead poisoning for the ancients and micro- and nano-plastics for the moderns' lungs!
(By the way, lead--plumbum--Pb--gave us the name for plumbers!)
(Will we have a new handle for the ignorant plastic-killers?)
(Removing lead pipes is one thing, but plastics of any sort pervading the whole world?)
(If we could only pause and think about possible implications.)

The Deafening Silence of Quiet Snowfall opus 329

My son just sent me a few-second video from the mountains,
Where he is introducing my grandson to the snow!
The video was dark, but depicted the soft-falling flakes in the limited light.
I suddenly remembered my first skiing attempts
On our neighbor's Massachusetts backyard slopes.
I then remembered my trips with my two boys--separately--
Because of their different ages,
To the ski slopes of our neighboring Rockies in eastern California.
Thereafter, my thoughts went further back to my student days,
Where I taught as a teaching job in the Alps of Switzerland.
The school, The Ecole D'Humanite, was in Goldern, above Meiringen,
Above which was the Rosenlaui Gletcher (Glacier),
Where Sherlock Holmes was 'first murdered'.
One day it was announced the school would all use the Gondalbahn,
To be transported to the actual 'Alp', the highest elevation of the mountain.
From there, we would ski down, ending up in the school yard!
I remember it was overcast and gently snowing.
The powder was so very soft and glass-like.
Descending on the slope was effortless--almost as if one were levitating!
Stopping now and then--there was no speed competition--
I listened to the absolute silence of the falling flakes,
As they gently accumulated around me, muffled in their fall.
It was a chilling experience of so much surrounding activity,
Accompanied with absolutely no sound.
My Heart shudders at 82, 60 years later,
From having had the privilege of partaking
In such an incredible human experience with our beautiful Nature.

(Sadly, with the Climate Crisis, many areas of our planet
Will no longer have skiing, let alone even snow!)

Coping With the Climate Crisis opus 342

The temperature in our world is absolutely ever-gradually rising.
This is a result of our own success in polluting technology.
Industry, transportation, cooling and heating of our living quarters.
There are two approaches to this problem:
The first is to temporarily alleviate the great heat--
Planting more trees, covering irrigation canals with solar panels,
Painting all rooftops white, lightening black asphalt with coatings,
Photovoltaic panels, batteries, solar box cooking,
Using methane production from human waste to burn for energy.
But these are only environmental bandages.
The second and ultimate effort must be to radically change our technology
To less polluting systems and attitudes therewith in how we basically live.
This change will take willpower,
But it is a must for a comfortable and successful future.

Indigenous American Agriculture opus 346

I couldn't wait for your information, so perhaps this might be useful to enhance your exhibit. The religious mounds, etc, would be another story. (I worked on this for about 10 hours!)

Contributions of Native Americans and the indigenous origins of many practices used today in the regenerative agricultural movement.

Original indigenous populations protected local ecosystems, preserving biodiversity, using good land management and farming methods. The landscape to which the Europeans arrived was not 'untouched land' -- the 'pristine myth' -- but rather that the land had been actively shaped. Indigenous Americans had advanced the practices, defining sustainable agricultural and land stewardship.

INTERCROPPING AND POLYCULTURES.

INTERCROPPING has been practiced by many early groups, including the Iroquois. The most well known is the 'Three Sisters'. The corn stalks provide a trellis for the beans, which add nitrogen to the soil. Additionally, the squash vines are a 'living mulch', improving soil health, maintaining moisture, and thus also preventing the growth of weeds.

INTERCROPPING, thus relies on crops that are complementary and compete minimally for resources. This improves crop productivity and yield stability over time, increasing soil health. Other benefits are pest management, weed reduction, insect and disease control. Temporary cover crops (eg. legumes) also improve soil health, sequester carbon and aid in biodiversity. Remember how the Pilgrims were shown the fertilizing method of planting a dead fish in each crop mound.

POLYCULTURES imitate nature by planting various species in the same area, with similar benefits of intercropping. Polycultures demonstrate greater use of nutrients, light, and water than monocultures.

WATER MANAGEMENT.

Today's water management historically returns to indigenous practices. Planting-mounds used by indigenous people in more humid climates drained excess moisture.Mounds or ridged-furrows are used the same way today.

Peoples in arid climates (the Hohokam, Arizona tribe) built canals for their irrigation to farm. The Pueblo people used small dams to productively redirect water, thus preventing erosion. These methods are used today and with modern technology, drip irrigation prevents water loss and erosion.

AGROFORESTRY.

Early peoples practiced agroforestry, by managing trees, crops and wild, then domesticated animals together for mutual benefit. SILVICULTURE or tree management (remember Pennsylvania means 'Penn's Woods'), including growth and composition to enhance wildlife and better hunting, had been traditionally practiced for millenia. SILVOPASTURE was used to graze animals (wild, then domestic) among trees. Better forest health, increased soil carbon levels, shade for animals (ever more important with increasing heat due to the Climate Crisis) and greater wildlife habitat are enhanced by using both silviculture and silvopasture methods.

Of course controlled fires were used by early peoples for forest management. With the ENVIRONMENTAL SUCCESSION process, nutrients were shifted from the soil to an organic plant form. The Midwestern and Southwestern grasslands were burned in selectively chosen forest areas to promote regeneration of forests which still exist today in the Midwest and Texas Hill Country. The ash from these forest fires were used to fertilize crops by collecting it and transferring it to crop areas. Of course, the regenerating grasses, shrubs, and trees, having increased tender leaf growth, attracted wildlife for better hunting. The clearing of much brush and undergrowth allowed for easier hunting with bows and spears. As a byproduct of these fires, grasshoppers and locusts were 'fried' for delicious meals (entomophagy, the eating of insects, which as our protein sources become limited, will be used by future Moderns, once again). Today we use prescribed, controlled burns to reduce fire hazard, clearing areas near cities and towns. The native people also did this around their villages and encampments for exactly the same reason!

PERMACULTURE.

Permaculture, coined by Bill Mollison, was a practice to farm, using all the surrounding environmental features to maximum benefit; working with the natural forces, as opposed to against. The indigenous people planted legumes, plants which 'fixed' nitrogen and added other vital nutrients to the soil. This practice by Moderns is used to reduce dependence on fertilizers and to improve soil health.

For further information:

Books titled '1491' and '1492' by Charles C. Mann.
Permaculture books by Bill Mollison.

Subsiding Cities opus 355

The magic of water is that it occurs in the form of
Steam, liquid, and solid ice--three intuitively predictable forms.
The mindblower is that the solid--ice--is less dense than water and floats!
Biologically this is important for the survival of aquatic creatures in winter habitats.
Now the world's climate is changing and floating ice is liquifying,
Thus slowly creating a new world of drowning, coastal cities.
Our beloved Japanese gifted cherries near the Lincoln Memorial
Are drowning because of the backed up Tidal Basin of the Potomac River.
In South Florida, even on a fair day,
Water is backing up and flowing out of the sewer systems.

Perhaps more alarming, as I have recently learned,
Is that many coastal cities in China are literally sinking.
This is, of course, due to the neighboring--and yes--rising sea.
But, unlike many other countries, a large number of Chinese cities
Are built on softer river deltas, from under which
Groundwater has been pumped out in large quantities.
Perhaps within a hundred years, a quarter of China's coastal land
Will be below sea level, much due to subsidence.
This is an international phenomenon and, within our own turf,
Our beloved New Orleans, sharing similar geology,
Will disappear under the waves.

Are We Really Following the Correct Philosophy? opus 366

We are privileged with a star, we call the sun,
Which maintains light and temperature to evolve and sustain life.
As a result, we inhabit a 'blue planet', rare in our solar system.
As thinking beings who have developed competing, elevated philosophies,
To attempt to explain our sojourn on our special planet,
Why is it that these elevated thought processes
Have at times done nothing but create conflict and competition?
We need 'reverence', enabling a phylogenetic long-term
Peaceful coexistence of our species.

Why the Denial? opus 372

So much evidence accumulating;
So many denying that anything is happening.

When did you last hear of such violent turbulence manifesting,
That two planes, within days, experienced such turmoil,
That many passengers, even one who died,
Resulting from huge destructive loss of altitude,
Pounding travellers against the cabin roof and racks?
I am almost 83, have followed aviation history,
And cannot recollect such atmospheric strength.
It is more and more evident that these changes
Will be increasing as a result of the ravages
Of the prevailing Climate Crisis.

It is noteworthy that most governing our Southeast
Absolutely deny even the mention of such change,
In spite of the revenge of the Climate
With its ever-greater tornadoes, both in size and number,
Crying out to demand the choosing of either our survival,
Or Climate's increasing destruction.

Historically, after great effort and cost,
We have vanquished dictators.
Why is it we cannot marshal and vanquish
An even worse and more horrible creeping foe?

My Mount Monadnock Campers' Hike opus 389

When I was about 10 or so, driving somewhere with my father and the family,
I distinctly remember his verbal disapproval of all the trash thrown
out along the highway.
Soon thereafter, Massachusetts signs popped up on the roadways
Declaring a $1000 fine for dispensing trash on the highway's edge.
That lesson stuck with me on a field trip during my wonderful Audubon
camp activities,
Where we learned of the geology as we climbed Mount Monadnock (most
climbed in NH).
In our backpacks we all carried a lunch enclosed in a brown paper bag.
We hiked to the top, the counsellor pointing out geology, flowers, and
tree species.
At the summit, we perused the sights below and ate our lunches.
There were about 20 kids and lots of paper waste accumulated.
The question arose: what to do with the trash--
(This item for discussion would never have occurred today!)
Our counsellor, I distinctly recall, told us to stuff the bags between
a rock crevice.
I was horrified and immediately countered with
'We should not do this--it is wrong!'
I am not really sure why I was so motivated
(Perhaps from my father's outrage with the highway trash),
But I organized all the kids to gather the bags, stuff their backpacks,
And carry the trash down to be disposed of in parking lot receptacles.
There was complete cooperation, overruling the counselor's instructions--
And that was the beginning of my efforts to support nature for the
rest of my life!

A Shot and Then a Fire! opus 415

Home from a wonderful session
At Surgery with Dr. Alali, my oncologist.
(13 August 2024, 1630 Hours.)
He is from Iran and is writing a book
About Darwin's relationship with that country.
My CLL, blood cancer, seems to have just disappeared!
Home and parked in my drive and checking the mail along the road.
A very loud shot blasted my ears from the south
And a second later my nearby waste bin and I were peppered with shot!
I called out several times, "Do not shoot. I am here!" No one there.
Deciding to move out of the line of fire,
I drove to the house, when I heard a crackling of fire--
My northeast berm in the line of fire--was leaping with flame.
The slight wind was from the south--away from the house.
I rushed into the house, retrieving, computer, meds and keys.
Someone had called the closeby fire department,
So I lingered and watched, ever cognizant of the wind direction.
We had mowed some of the berm, so flames at first moved slowly,
Then raged forward along the northern border; when, finally out.

Relieved, damping up occurred, and then talks with fire- and sheriffs.
I was strangely calm and 'took it as it came'.

Called later to see that they would check for embers after dark.
Communicated to a few others about the challenging happenings,
Then rested and did just what I did after my African elephant attack years ago--
I relaxed and went into a much needed sleep.

The Consequences opus 420

Thoughtlessly, we forged forward with our 'civilizing',
Innocently seeking an ever-more comfortable and profitable life.
From the excessive waste, resulting from our mindless exploits,
We all are now paying our dues,
Obliged to face and cope with the empirically obvious consequences.

Two Canaries to Watch opus 433

I have just finished writing about how our farmers are the world's canaries.
One example in California is the prediction--already seen occurring--
Is that it will be impossible for fruits and nuts to be profitably
produced in that state.
Are they certain? That is the nuts and bolts of California agriculture!
In Yolo County, where I live, funds are slowly being diverted to agave,
A drought-tolerant plant to produce alcohol for Tequila to rival Mexico.
Surely we might come up with something which is a little more 'noble'!
(By the way, because of the drought, California might revert to hydroponics
To be able to continue raising tomatoes!)
With the loss of major crops and the dwindling aquifers,
Will California just revert back to the semi-desert
Which the European pioneers first 'discovered'?

Now jump to the east and Pennsylvania and their potato crop.
Potatoes are a sensitive crop, which in Pennsylvania,
Are confronting higher temperatures and excessive rains,
As well as struggling in 2016 with a newly identified bacterium
For which there is no cure (soft rot).
All these factors will be a challenge to the potato industry
Which produces chips, fries, and many other potato products
For and from the state.

As an aside, Pennsylvania MacIntosh apple trees are being removed
(The days are not cold enough).
These trees may be replaced with peaches
Which (temporarily?) might improve production with the warmer weather.

A footnote from neighboring Michigan: Several northern tribes have decided,
Because of a warm, dry winter, to let the sugar maples rest this coming season.
Will this continue to obtain with all these climatic changes?

Google and research the myriads of agricultural challenges
Occurring around the world -- It is mind-blowing.

Water, Water Everywhere, but For How Long? opus 448

When I returned to California once again in 1978,
The purpose was quite different in that I was to be a small farmer.
The way I looked at my environment was indeed also quite different.
I already knew that this state had at most very few months of rain
And that agriculture depended mostly on its many aquifers.
These waters had remained eternally deep under the Earth's surface,
Until about the early 1900's when the first deep-water wells invaded below.
I also knew that California had no regulations
On well construction and the numbers thereof.
Thus, it struck me deeply during my first forays into ag land,
Witnessing field after field being watered with a torrent of sprinklers.
My first thoughts went deep down to the unseen aquifers below,
Wondering how long this kingdom of agriculture would survive.

Thankfully, 10 years ago, to most, the invisible
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act was passed,
Which started to regulate the amount of water taken out
To match that which comes in.
Lands taken out of agriculture are now harboring
Native species of plant and animal, as well as buffering flooding.
More recently, added to this was the Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program,
A support plan for the transition toward a smaller irrigated footprint.

The great question is, of course, are these efforts far too late,
Or will those in charge be able to make definitive decisions--
Or will food demands, economy, and political party mantras
Overwhelm reason and empirical evidence guiding outcomes,
Driving our way of life, as we know it, to simply collapse, unnecessarily?
I have witnessed the loss of historical forests in eastern Turkiye
As well as loss of the water table in now parched lands of India.

The Romantic Tumbleweed opus 493

The tumbling Tumbleweed--a Western cowboy song
Which many are able to easily humm.
But sadly, and realistically, this innocent plant
Is a voracious non-native invader from Russia.
Tumbleweed seed was brought into South Dakota
In the 1870's by Russian immigrants,
Contaminating flax seed accompanying them.
Millions of dollars have been spent
To attempt to eradicate this ubiquitous weed.
The song romanticises the poetic tumbling of this floral form,
When actually with each tumble,
It is distributing yet ever-more seed.
This physical means of distribution is devastating,
Engineering yet another non-native to spread throughout the West.

Things are not always what they seem until time often passes,
And knowledge with accurate facts becomes known.

Human's Success on Planet Earth opus 500

Have humans been so successful because of greater strength or intelligence?
Probably not. However, humans seem to be able to imagine a myriad of possibilities
And inventively combine them in ever-increasing ways.
We continually push boundaries; the driving of cultural evolution.
Other species use tools, modify communication, and innovatively harvest food.
But these changes are fairly static, with no radical transformations.
Humans accumulate knowledge, but also reinvent and expand its delimitations.
Our openness allows quick adaptation with complex sequences,
To solve pending problems as well as future challenges.
Many creatures have an evolutionary ceiling; humans seem to have no limits.
Humans have transformed their environment--other animals merely adapt.
This transformation is bolstered by the cycle of cultural accumulation.
The enigma of human's world domination is understood,
By comprehending our ability to imagine, thus creating a boundless future.

(Was this one of the reasons the Neanderthal didn't make it?)

An Unidentified Invader opus 526

In biology an apex invader is defined as
Being especially influential and powerful in shaping the environment.
The effects of its invasion is paramount with its name.
The Global Invasive Database has defined the 100 top invaders,
From a plant like kudzu to a bird like the European Starling,
The Norwegian Rat. All these and many more
Have caused chaos and great expense for concerned societies.
The one invader which has not been recognized
In this long list of destructive transplants
Is Homo sapiens or us--our very own species.
Humans have ravaged the world,
Causing great destruction and extinction of other species.
We are now at a point where we are
Causing havoc, not only to our very own world,
But the mass Sixth Extinction on our planet.
(Remember, the Fifth was that asteroid
And the mass extinction of the dinosaurs.)
We are polluting our surroundings with CO2, methane and plastics.
The enigma is that if one enters 'humans' into the Invasive Database,
Nothing comes up. This is pure egocentrism topped with conceit!

April; Coping with Less Rain opus 555

I have raised thousands of narcissus and daffodils,
Nurtured only by the rain--the gamble with the elements.
Today the last of the triploids and iris were harvested.
So sad, so sobering, such realization of our changing climate.
In the 'old days' bulbs burst in November
And finalized their blossoming choreography
Sometime in April--now far short of that goal.
The few harvested ones sit in a bucket, no market to receive them;
No lovely person to take and hold them in her hand.
In eight decades, I have seen and witnessed many changes.
Now it is time for the next generation to wake up
And be ready for and realize the coming challenges.
May they use all their wit and knowledge
And common sense to meet this new reality,
Which most, being younger, will only know from historical accounts.

Elizabeth Vrba (1942 - 2025) opus 565

These are some thoughts of Elizabeth Vrba,
A great, but lesser known evolutionary biologist:
'Evolution is not always slow with incremental changes,
But, rather, evolution moves in bursts,
Or abrupt waves of extinction and speciation'--
According to her 'Turnover Pulse' hypothesis,--
'As a result of great climate upheavals.'
She also worked on 'exaptation', the process where traits evolve
For one function, and later are co-opted for another.
She studied 'stimulated paleontology' for a better predictive precision.
'The fossil record is not a static archive,
But a dynamic record of nature's upheavals.'
'Species are shaped by external forces,
Not by internal biological pressures:
Thus, as a result of environmental changes from shifts in climate--
Not always random, nor by gradual competition.'
'The survival of the generalist is greater than that of the specialist.'
Her advocacy of her thoughts and hypotheses will be missed,
But as time and knowledge increases,
More of her thoughts may be actually demonstrated.

Distribution of Energy opus 575

The 'need' for Modern Civilization's energy-hunger,
Greatly compromises the state of our planet:
Masses of wires or pipelines;
Air pollution or radiation dangers;
Dams or huge diversions of waterways;
Disruptive construction (ie 'walls'),
Destroying wildlife habitats and corridors.

Now, to ever-more quickly solve questions using AI,
Additional masses of energy are sucked into the system
To divert electrons from basic human needs
To frantically decide
How to continue moving one way or another!

To Coal or not to Coal? opus 576

Coal mining is a dirty, dangerous business.
Many leaders have attempted to shift to other safer energy sources.
Now, the new returning US leadership, to maintain certain votes,
Wishes, once again, increased coal production and use--
BUT, at the same moment, this 'new enlightened' leadership
Has ironically disbanded all research and medical testing,
For those workers who continue to harvest this killer product!

Diminution of Codfish in Our Food Chain opus 607

Evolution? Humans actually causing evolution?
Nonsense!
Well, here's one for you, oh you doubters.
Codfish have been pursued and netted for centuries,
Capturing these one-meter-long beauties.
As time proceeded, those smaller adults escaped the nets.
The human selective pressure was always removing the 'big ones'.
This slowly shifted the selective adaptation to an ever-smaller size.
So, as a result of 'we-clever-humans',
With our superior technology and frequency of use therewith,
We have literally destroyed a prize and sought-for prey,
To an unwanted and undesired minimal size,
Because of the unheeding and ignorant knowledge of adaptation,
Through evolution and the process of natural selection.

Codfish Are Becoming Greatly Reduced in Size. An Additional Thought opus 617

Is it possible for humans to 'cause' an evolutionary process?
Nonsense! Impossible! But wait.
Three foot Eastern Baltic Codfish have been harvested for centuries.
But in the last few decades, reduced size of fish have been continually reported.
In 1996 their size was 3 feet; in 2019, half that size; now one fits in two hands.
Is this due to climate change or to fishing activity?
Using larger nets, the smaller fish escaped easily; an advantage being small.
After a fishing ban in 2019, the genetics of the fish maintained their small size.
Upon examining otoliths (from the inner ear) collected between 1996 and 2019,
They demonstrated that the growth rings showed slower size increase.
In addition, the DNA corroborated that same conclusion.
Ever-smaller parent fish are generating ever-smaller offspring.
This indicates that the cods' evolution is pressured externally.
The scientists conclude that this evolutionary process is driven by human activity.
They conclude that, "This is scientifically fascinating, but ecologically deeply concerning."

A Story of the American Bullfrog opus 618

American Bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus, used to be Rana sp.)
Were introduced into California in the late 1800's (1896?).
The main thrust was to form a basis for a new food industry!
In addition, thoughts featured the pet industry and recreational purposes.
During the Gold Rush, miners ate up to 80,000 Red-legged frogs (Rana draytonii) a year.
This nearly wiped out that native population of frog,
Thus, the concept for a new food industry in the State.
But hungry miners are not a model to be used for a less hungry general population.
Frog legs were commonly consumed pre-1900 and thousands of pounds
Were even annually harvested and exported throughout the US.
When the demand for frog meat was not realized,
The captive frogs were released into the wild, causing ecological havoc,
By disrupting the delicate balance of California's ecosystems.
Female Bullfrogs lay clutches of up to 20,000 eggs, twice a year.
These frogs consume a wide range of prey, including
Aquatic eggs, insects, fish, birds (including young ducklings) and small mammals,
Some of which are native species, already threatened or endangered.
Bullfrogs are carriers of chytridiomycosis which has devastated amphibians worldwide.
Their presence has led to changes in nutrient cycling and water quality.
Bullfrogs are so adaptable, that it is difficult to manage control.
Just the cost to the State attempting control has been very expensive.
On a positive note, these frogs are now used in research,
Studying developmental biology, physiology, and ecology.
When introducing a non-native species of any kind, one must always be aware
Of the unintended consequences which may result.

(Note: I first looked into this introduced species,
Suspecting that the Calaveras Frog Jumping Contest
May have been the source for this introduction,
But the Contest was just part of the whole phenomenon.)

Is the Sky Really Blue? opus 625

Most every day we are living under a 'deceptively-covering dome'.
It is the sky. Is the sky really the blue we all see?
Well, actually, no.
Simply explained, blue light in our atmosphere
Is scattered more than red light, thus the blue sky.
Remember how light is skewed through a prism.
If this is so, then why is it that we don't see a violet sky?
Think of photons bouncing off molecules of air.
But there is a difference between photons and air molecules.
One difference is that the amount of scattering
Depends on the wavelengths (color) of the light.
Shorter wavelengths of light scatter more.
Starting with red to violet (ROY G. BIV),
The wavelengths go from long to short--
So the shorter blue wavelengths are scattered more.
Thus our sky appears blue from all the scattered blue light.

Also sunsets can appear red because blue light is scattered away,
Resulting in a reddish looking sunset.
But still, why doesn't the sky appear violet?
Violet has an even shorter wavelength than blue,
Therefore violet should be scattered more than blue.
So why does the sky not appear violet, or even a violet-blue?
Actually the sky is violet, but appears blue
Because of how our eyes function!
But that is another story.

Deep Sea Mining of Polymetallic Nodules opus 636

The new potential of deep sea mining 
For ever-more-needed metals is looming large.
The seabed in places is littered with polymetallic nodules,
Containing nickel, cobalt, manganese, and copper.
Mining firms claim the deep seabed could provide 
A major new source for these minerals.
The nodules could be retrieved with an uncrewed collector--bus size,
By crawling along the seabed, hoovering up nodules, 
Which are sent up in a miles-long tube to a waiting ship.
Are there environmental impacts with this method?
Supporters say it will cause less disturbance than terrestrial mining.
However, many marine scientists and policy makers disagree--
Sea sponges and anemones grow on the nodules;
Sediment plumes from the mining may harm creatures used to clear water;
Noise pollution could interfere with animal communication and navigation;
Yet unknown species may be eliminated before identification.
Hundreds of researchers have called for a pause because of a knowledge gap.
Some companies like auto makers and tech firms
Have pledged not to use seabed minerals.
One mining company is developing robots that would hover above the seabed,
With mechanical arms to pluck only uncolonized nodules,
Thus eliminating sediment plumes, reduce noise pollution, leaving the seabed intact
Such a robot needs further deep sea testing for validation.
International regulations are in a turmoil, with several mining firms ready to begin!
Once again desperation for resources, accompanied with capitalism,
May result in yet one more environmental habitat to be in great danger.

Katrina Devastates New Orleans opus 637

Katrina--20 years ago today. (29 August 2005).
A storm avenging a city built below seabed.
A city surrounded by inferior levees.
People receiving inadequate warnings.
And many others who would have no way to retreat.
The transport, rescuing people, but refusing their pets.
Water rising so fast, even a rooftop was inadequate. 
Corpses bound to poles to prevent their washing away.
Many dispersing to neighboring states,
Where soon thereafter were once again struck by Hugo's deluge!
How can we live? Where might we go?
Is our manner of living actually the very cause
Of our ultimate downfall?

The Lugging of Coal Clinkers opus 662

I just heard that the world-wide use of renewable energy
Has outstripped by more than half the use of coal.
Coal is a dirty, polluting substance which releases masses of CO2.
The mining of coal also causes Black Lung in the human workers.
Ironically and thoughtlessly, the 'regime' wants the use of coal to increase,
But has cruelly cut all research funds towards this terrible disease.

This announcement has brought forth from my childhood memories,
Our urban household use of coal to winter-warm our New England home.
The delivered coal order (by the ton) was poured down a hatch into a huge bin.
Later, the coal was carried in buckets to the basement furnace,
The shovelled black diamonds were cast through a fire-roaring door;
Just how much each time I used to throw in, I do not remember.
I always remember the iron-clunk sound as I closed the iron door.
But that was not all, in order to stay warm.
As days passed, the furnace had to be periodically cleaned!
Burnt coal leaves a so-called 'clinker' waste. (Possibly a New England term.)
We had huge tongs, used to remove these clinkers to a metal barrel.
These clinker-barrels had to be dragged up, out of the basement
And dragged down the driveway to the curb collection site.
A lot of work all winter, just to keep warm.
Contrast that to today, where an urban home just clicks a switch.
Presently living in the country, our counterpart to my childhood travails,
Is wood burning with all its analogous chores.
Now, no more wood burning, yielding to my solar-produced electricity.
We have come a long way.

For History's Sake opus 681

For history's sake, I am recording this to demonstrate my constant efforts
To help our planet. You need do nothing or take me up on it!

Dear Reader,
All the Poems and Thoughts are written by an 84-year-old poet/biologist,
Frank Maurer, always concerned about where we are headed,
Pricking society to simply conduct some clear thinking.

My Maurer/Timm Quail Ridge, UCD Student Endowment
(started a few years ago, along with the 36-year-old Conservancy)
Is up to $200,000 now and growing.

If you wish to donate (for in perpetuity) with even a single donation,
Which will be matched, as long as funds are available,
(and are tax deductible through the University of California, Davis),
Email me for any information and/or instructions,
And if you need to confirm my legitimacy.

frankmaurer41@gmail.com

Just state your questions, including for donation instructions,
And I shall respond.
Devotedly Yours, 
Frank Maurer.

Two Approaches to Climate Change opus 693

Two older male friends had a minor verbal clash,
Discussing the way we each felt about the world's future.
The first travelled often, but vis a vis climate change,
He said it is too late;  there are millions of cars;
There will be ten billion humans within this century,
He will continue to travel to see friends and family
'Because one person cannot ever make a difference.'
To be noted, he has no children.
I, the second protagonist, felt very uncomfortable with this recounting.
I have solar panels, two batteries, drive limitedly, a hybrid car,
And cook with the sun, using a solar box.
Most of my driving now is limited to local shopping and appointments.
I try to consume good, healthy vegetables recycled, 
As waste, from a local store.
Also noted, I have two children and grandchildren--make any difference?
So, I guess I have resigned myself to realizing
That the two of us are just neutralizing each other's life procedures.
Even though we were each adamant, the two of us
Do not at all solve the climate future, if we even wished to.
OR, is there still a chance there are enough of us to make that difference?

Trilobites and Sea Slugs, Equal Their Accumulation of Species Numbers opus 711

Five million years ago, Trilobites evolved onto the planet.
They endured almost 300 million years
And, given that time span, evolved into 25,000 species.
Today, we have a present group which has equaled that species number:
It is the Sea Slugs, related to our common garden 'pest'.
But far more elaborate, fending off aquatic predators from their soft body parts,
By warning with incredibly colorful hues and by ingesting poisonous plants,
Which yield them very unpalatable to the lurking predators.
Time and evolutionary success, is the formula for the huge numbers--
Each species having time to evolve into an ever-distinct niche.
Well, Homo evolved into several different specific variations,
But we, Homo sapiens, are the only remaining species of the group.
Might we extrapolate something from this outcome?
No longer do we have fellow species to challenge us in various niches.
It is clear we did not diverge enough, creating fierce competition,
(Perhaps also because of powerful brains and strong customs),
While these other two groups, Trilobites and Sea Slugs,
Diversified into contemporary life styles and niches,
But did not evolve so closely that competition increased.
We, Homo sapiens, have evolved as a singular genus and species,
But will our future be to overwhelm all other life on our Earth,
Or will our wisdom prevail, having a benevolent conservation approach
Towards our fellow interacting life-partners on this, our only planet?

Invaders!? opus 715

Today, 24 December 2025, after decades 
Of having bird feeders on my farm,
Two male House Sparrows came, for the first time, 
To feed with my other native sparrows.
As a biologist, so many thoughts and emotions went through me--
Non-native introductions, non-native competition,
Which ravage our state (and the world).
The ever-changing world through a biologist's eyes;
Visions of a hundred years from today and its then, reality.
New dynamics are ever-looming, most out of my control.

Christmas, 2025 opus 716

The Eve gently shifts to that Day.
I am awake changing my pads.
My body diurnally leaks--
It shall continue until I die.

My mind floats to the events and thoughts
Of just today--now yesterday:

A photo of us three children,
So long ago, tucked by the tree.

Elaine's text of her partner's cancer.

Waiting for even a quick call from grandson, Jayden.

Pleased to have conversed today with son, Pierre;
Pondering the section of my living room ceiling,
Which tumbled down during the last rain.

Wondering how my calf is doing in this storm.

Observing my Bettas, gulping air each three minutes.

Enjoying the Mozart Piano Concerto, K 502, now on.

Wondering when I will be tired, so to sleep.

So tormented about politics these days.

So sad about some relationships, not gone well.
Joyful in those that have, indeed, succeeded.

Listening to my furnace monitoring its temperature level.
I try to use as little propane as possible.

Sipping my water drink, touched with Anise.

Thinking of this 'Thought' I am composing.

Viewing the Libyan Desert Glass on my table,
Alongside the jar of New England Sea Glass.

Still wondering when I will be tired enough to sleep.

Oh, perhaps now--My thoughts transformed to Dreams.

The Fulgurite Sitting Before Me opus 718

Having recently 'discovered' Libyan Desert Glass,
I am concentrating on another phenomenon caused by great desert heat.
Of course, the Glass is most likely caused by a hot meteor-like object,
Striking a desert area and melting the sand to glass.
Another object being turned now in my hand is a fulgurite--
A long tube of melted, fused sand, caused by a lightning strike.
Both are thought-provoking and amazing to handle.
King Tutankhamen supposedly utilized pieces of the Glass,
But I wonder if any human group used the fulgurites
For any purpose--decorative or utilitarian?
Surely a thought for one in our modern times to contemplate,
Transporting one's mind back to our human early past
And our present-day consideration of their insight towards such objects. 

The Rivers Turn Red--A Winter Solstice Tale opus 719

Alaska is our greatest wild area remaining.
This is a place to be preserved as is, forever.
Temperatures are rising here, four times faster than elsewhere.
Ah, how nice;  harsh cold winters are diminishing.
But no, the rising temperatures are melting the frozen Tundra,
And slowly materials are being released from the soil.
The flow of melting slush has begun gravitating to the rivers,
And gradually these rivers are beginning their change.
The rivers' waters transformed 
From clear and crystalin to red pigmentation.
All from the neglect of our planetary home,
Our rivers, vessels of the planet, are bleeding before our eyes.

Watermelon Snow opus 722

Generally when we see or hear of the environment turning a false color,
A panic might start, realizing that something has gone awry.
Think of seashores gone red, or a pond choked with green.
Well, there is a phenomenon, about which one does not need alarm.
High in the mountains of the Rockies or during a cold Montana winter,
There are places where the snow turns red--a watermelon snow!
Not only red, but sometimes orange or green.
This is not caused by pollution, but rather by algae!
Studies result showing the colors are caused by different species,
Which are all cohabiting in the exact same place.
Of all the colors, the red species causes the snow to melt the fastest.
The algae are melting the snow to produce life-giving liquid water,
And, again, the red variety appears to melt the snow faster than the others.
One concern is how much the algae will speed up the melt time of our glaciers.
So, in spite of what will transpire with this new discovery,
To behold such bizarre and beautifully colored snow,
Gives one a feeling of awe and wonder for the world around us.

Man of the Earth--New Year's Thoughts opus 726

I have lived as a Man of the Earth,
Sharing the elements 
Of the world around me:

Searching for wood for the fire,
Hunting with a bow in a tree,
Dressed my own game and fish,
Fishing, casting a net into the air,
Harvesting flowers for the market,
Tapping the maple for sweet sap,
Building dams for aquaculture,
Listening to the cackling of the Canada Goose,
Learning the ways of the African bee,
Collecting mushrooms in Turkish forests,
Shot Guineafowl for my African safari,
Hand carved stone from the Earth's plentiful supply,
Was tattooed to join my Pictish family,
Repaired nets to seine my ponds,
Sun-dried figs for a winter's supply,
Sauteed crickets to supplement my protein,
Produced wine from the wild dandelion,
Taught children the ways of Nature,
Bore the kilt with the pride of tenacity,
Conducted music and played bass and cello for pure joy,
Fenced with the foil next to a Russian Master,
Marvelled at my five digit hand,
Opposed warfare of all sorts,
Enjoy the morphology of my female counterparts,
Salvage nourishing corn cobs from a dust bin,
Bred my own rabbits, horses, and dogs,
Have attended school with great eagerness,
I shape my own bandages for my great wound,
Surround myself with Desert Glass and Neanderthal tools,
Labored long, preserving space for wild things,
Communing with fellow creatures--domestic and wild,
I have resisted death from TB and leukemia,
Founded an Educational Farm Foundation,
Created the Quail Ridge Wilderness Conservancy, 
My wives, Maggi, Christine, and Nora were well chosen,
I have fathered two great singular boys.

Such have been my doings as a Man of the Earth.

The Mystery of Why Domestic Cats Have Vertical Pupils opus 729

Have you ever wondered why domestic cats have vertical pupils,
And in big cats like lions, tigers, jaguars, and pumas, the pupils are round?
The summary is this in the evolutionary story of various life cycles--

----Round pupils (humans, birds) give even focus across the entire
     depth of field during the day.
----Vertical pupils (cat, gecko) optimize depth perception, day and night.
----Horizontal pupils (goat, frog) optimize and give a panoramic
     field of view to detect predators.

These various pupil shapes are adaptations to their lifestyle.
Specifically, domestic cats are ambush predators 
And have a superior depth of field.
This allows them to better judge distance to their prey.
This pupil shape also helps cats to see side-to-side motions,
Making their small rodent prey easier to spot with their movements.
Unlike small domestic cats which are crepuscular actors,
Big cats which hunt diurnally and with round pupils,
Are capable of a clear focus across the entire long distance field of view.
Having vertical pupils, also gives its bearer camouflage,
As it breaks up the round shape of the eye,
And thus makes it harder for its prey to see the hidden predator.
There too, are geckos with vertical slits, having tiny round openings,
Cuttlefish with distinctive 'W'-shaped pupils,
And rays possessing crescent-shaped pupils.
Such aquatic species are benefitted by both round and horizontal pupils.
The other factors determining how an animal sees,
Are the number and distribution of rods and cones, 
Working in concert with pupil shape;
The shape of the lens is also important, for instance, 
In correcting chromatic aberration, resulting in excellent color vision.
So, wonder less about the different pupil shapes, because you now know!

Will K Cars be Our New Coffins? opus 742

Having returned from Asia, Trump declared his love for the tiny, economical K car.
Prominent in Japan, would these tiny cars fit into this country's traffic?
Offsetting economics, they are small and slow;
Placed into a rushed society, having many accidents.
A huge trailer-truck attempting to slow suddenly behind a smaller, slower car,
Could most likely result in a catastrophe of a crushed car with its driver.
Our high-speed freeways might introduce a new category of death.
With such decisions, we must consider the adage of water and oil.