Poems and Thoughts    by Frank Maurer

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The Olive Saga. Trees, as with all earthly life require water, Otherwise desiccation is the slow path to demise. Trees, as with all earthly life require a comfortable mean temperature, Otherwise desiccation and the 'bodily' functions eventually cease. With the climate crisis, death from excessive heat is now obtaining. More and ever more, birds, fish, mammals, And of course the human mammal Are migrating--shifting their earthly coordinates-- Desperately seeking out conditions they once enjoyed. And now to feature yet another organism in this plight: Our tree of human symbolic peace--the olive. Humans and olive trees have coevolved for millenia-- Olives receiving greater care and genetic improvement, And humans harvesting possibly the finest of oils. But now, with the terrifying change in the climate earthwide, Even our precious olive tree is severely suffering. Olive oil production is reduced everywhere--in Spain by 50 percent. Look around us dear people, and recognize the pending disaster we face. By taking a weak response, humans with their fossil fuels Are basically murdering their fellow earthly inhabitants. My plea as a biologist is to take individual action And always take the greater democratic action as well, By voting in leaders who dare to understand and properly move ahead. Frank Maurer 20 September 2023 1035 Hours.