Friday 2 August 2013

Tanka and fireworks

we know
the fireworks damage
the buildings -
yet every year, again
the festival fireworks

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Last night it was the fireworks to celebrate the official beginning of the Edinburgh festival season. After 11pm on a midweek night. A few years ago there were incidents with falling masonry (including someone who died because masonry fell on her) in the centre of Edinburgh. The masonry was shown to be weakened by all the fireworks that go on in the city during the festival season (there's a small display every night during the festival and then the large and lavish display at the end, as well as the medium display at the beginning.)

So we have evidence that the fireworks are weakening our buildings, putting at risk our architectural heritage and people's lives. Rabbits and birds are also sometimes injured or killed by the fireworks. So what do we do? We carry on with the fireworks displays, year on year, just making them slightly quieter.

This feels like a metaphor for something bigger....

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Meanwhile, to co-incide with the Big Butterfly Count, I've put together a Butterfly themed treasury on Etsy.  If you're in the UK, the count is running until 11 August, so before then try to make time to get out and count the butterflies! The lovely summer weather we've (mostly) been having has meant a bumper year for many butterfly species, which are bouncing back somewhat after many years of decline.

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and finally, I'm delighted to have some poetry windchimes in this exhibition at the Forest Cafe in Edinburgh. 

As ever, red text contains hyperlinks that take you to other webpages where you can find out more

7 comments:

Optimistic Existentialist said...

I've never been a fan of fireworks at all. I don't use them even on 4th of July. Never liked tham.

Kat Mortensen said...

I don't know about Scotland, but here where I live in Canada, it's not enough to do them once on an occasion, but they do them for 3 nights running! I used to like holding sparklers, but that was about it.

I did not know that they affect buildings and wildlife. That's so much worse.

TexWisGirl said...

fireworks are big here in the US south. lots of my neighbors purchase them and shoot them off around the 4th of july and over new years. and they don't know how to control them. lots of fire danger, too.

Little Miss Titch said...

not keen on fireworks unless its at a proper display

RG said...

Yay for butterflies - Boo for explosives!

eileeninmd said...

Fireworks are pretty and safe if they are done in the right place. The local city here does them from a barge floating in the water. I would think it is safe near the water. By my neighbors throw them off and I am scared one day they will land in the woods and start a fire around our house. I hope the butterfly count is successful. Have a happy weekend!

Gillena Cox said...

easily identified with your tanka; happens here also


much love...