Gaia - the great earth spirit

A creation story inspired by a trip to Sri Lanka

Gaia - the great earth spirit

 

In the beginning of time was the sea below

Sun, moon and stars held sway above

Gaia, the great earth spirit looked down on the ocean

And saw that something was missing from his creation

 

He felt great sadness and as he fretted

a tear slipped from his eye and fell into the ocean

where it formed the most beautiful green island

which he called Serendip, the land of jewels

 

Gaia looked on his creation

The great ocean and Serendip the land of jewels

and was satisfied with his work

In time however Gaia became discontented

for he could see that his creation was incomplete

He knew that he must fashion creatures in his own image

and so from the  sea he formed a woman

and from the land he formed a man

each was to live in their own place

 

As time went past Gaia again came to know

that his creation was not complete

He knew that it was man and woman’s destiny

To come together, multiply

And use their wisdom to rule the earth wisely

 

And so it came to pass that one night

Adam lay down to sleep on his bed of palm fronds

during the night he awoke, his bed surrounded

by a host of sparkling fire flies

as Adam looked up in wonder,

his bed of fronds was raised up

and guided by the fireflies high above the isle

to come to rest on Serendib’s highest summit

 

that very same night, far out in the ocean

Eve lay afloat in the shimmering phosphorescence

She gasped as a great waterspout formed

spinning, writhing down to kiss the water

remorselessly Eve was pulled in to the spinning vortice

lifted up and carried over the land

where she joined Adam

when Adam and Eve saw each other they were content

and lived as one together

in the earthly paradise of Serendib

 

all seemed well but once again Gaia, the lord of the earth

looked on his creation and knew that something was amiss

he had formed Adam and Eve in his own image

apart from one thing,

they lacked the power of speech

 

Gaia knew that words would separate them for ever

from their thrall of innocence

and so it was with a heavy heart

that he took Adam and Eve to the great mountain

pointed to every single thing in creation, one by one

and for each thing he put the word on the tongues of Adam and Eve

and so they became separated from their paradise of Serendib

when a Babel of words danced in their heads

 

generation upon generation passed

time without measure

the children of Adam and Eve

spread to fill each corner of the earth

 

once again, Gaia, the lord of creation

looked down on the earth with sadness

for he remembered the paradise

that he had bequeathed to Adam and Eve

Everywhere he looked he saw

the earth torn asunder

it’s riches plundered

the forests on fire

drought, storm, death and destruction

  

Gaia knew that man would destroy everything

knew that there was only one course left

the earth spirit must protect itself!

 

Reviews

[Kathy Van Kurin]

'Gaia-the great earth spirit'
alangraham,
This story intrigues with its core meaning one of creative motivation. This is something that is enherrant in humanity. Stories and legends of this nature all bring us to a place of looking to answer the age old question of why? Why are we here, how, what and where, how... It found it inspiring because we are so curious in differing degrees. I have a tendency to analyze many things. The place we seek reality thought and meaning is inside ourselves.
Beautifully written take on this particular legend of creaation. Love your writing!
Blessings,
Kathy

[alanwgraham]

Thanks Kathy - I really appreciate that you've taken the time to find and read this. Our visit to Sri Lanka was very inspiring for us because our daughter goes every year to work with orphans. Also we trekked to the top of Adams peak the sacred mountain to see the sunrise, one of the great experiences of my life. TOn one trip we did wake to find our bed surrounded by fireflies and then later saw the great water spout moving across the sea. It's easy to understand how these events can engender a feeling of wonder and a search for meaning. We are looking forward to the weather picking uop here.
All the best,
Alan

[Kathy Van Kurin]

Alan,
Amazing! It is so great to here of the experiences of your daughter..giving of herself to sweet orphans. Bless her heart. Experiencing fireflies around you like that is just amazing. Wow and a water spout making it's way across the sea..Ive not seen such. so cool. Your review is really beautiful. I hope you keep the wonder and then let it work it's way through you and to us.
Bless you Alan and family!
Kathy

[Duncan Brown]

Jazz Jazz Jazz.............

[Wolf_Lord]

Wow... I love the portrayal of Gaia as a male... It gives a really unique twist to this story... I have done some similar twist of my own like this. The use of Babel as the separating element between Adam and Eve and paradise was well done as well. The ending is nicely open ended as well as prophetic. Good Job. I am however, and please do not take this badly, docking you ten points on the technical aspects of this piece. You need to pay attention to your rhythm and meter. You start up very nicely with the first two stanzas and then it just falls apart. A lot of your meanings will be lost to the normal reader who will lose the thread of the poem when the rhythm and meter falls apart. I suggest that you read the poem out loud to yourself. Perhaps even record it and play it back. This is a great way to establish rhythm and meter. Wolf_Lord ,'', ^@@^ ,'',

[alanwgraham]

Thanks for your comments - it is what makes wc worthwhile - getting others honest take on your work. In this particular bit of writing (perhaps I shouldn't have called it a poem) I had no plan to conform to any rules of rhyme or meter but I wanted it to have a more poetic 'feel' than a straight piece of prose. I'm no expert in the matter but my feeling is that you start with a blank piece of paper and then the road is open!
To put this in some sort of context I get a bit manic from time to time when my work takes a much looser and less inhibited form as illustrated by the poem below.

Creation

Every so often
This gift - or curse
Of mine
creeps up real slow
Then .. wow!

The universe explodes
Coruscatingly, goads
Each sense
And hence
Delectable sweet and sour
Each waft of scent
promising heaven on earth
no dearth
of bliss
but putrid stench
the foul downside!

My gimlet eyes
roving, spies
too, too much!
And as for touch
A blind man’s torch
And as for call of thrush
A rush of ecstasy, lush
music to my ears

Wee small hours
I wake, I write
All night!
Torrents of words spill
fill
page on page
No rules of rhyme or metre
To slow
The flow!
I do appreciate your comments! Alan I would be interested to see what you make of my poem called 'Henry Moore - shapeshifter' if you have the time.
Thanks again.

[Wolf_Lord]

I really like this. There is a style that conforms to this as well... In your intro, just say it is free prose... anyone in the know will then look at the merits of it instead of the style as free prose is supposed to break the rules. lol. Wolf ,'', ^@@^ ,'', PS. I will try to get to that poem asap.