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Blog 0

Awe comes with orcas

By Matthew Zylstra @eyes4earth · On April 27, 2011

Where’s my Whale?  Yesterday in Plettenberg Bay!  Many savour the rare and special sighting of orcas coming in close to shore.  It was only brief but their presence was filled with silent power and their casual departure through the arches of a rainbow was grand. The experience was pure poetry…

How can mere words ever really convey
Everything that imbued today
With an energy, somewhat surreal
Overwhelmed with a strange humbling feel
Unknown someone gave the shout
Vehicles charge down to Lookout
People stream over to central beach;
Rare glimpse of an orcas breach.
On a wintery gusty grey sea
Dolphin pod huddles nervously
Surfers indecisive: do they hear
The release of orca breath so near
Transfixed the watchers now blink their eyes
Nature bestows another surprise
Soft amber light – radiant rainbow frames
Orcas graceful return to wild ocean rains
Who knows for whom else this day had power
String of emotions condensed in an hour
Guess it all comes back to what one perceives
Or if in ‘a something more’ one believes….

OrcaResize

Photo source: Tracy M, Orca Foundation
Poetry
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Matthew Zylstra

Matthew Zylstra, PhD is an ecologist, lecturer and facilitator focusing on human~nature connectedness. His transdisciplinary research has entwined ecology, environmental psychology, and education in support of deep learning and wellbeing. He is a keen naturalist, especially in coastal and marine ecosystems.  Matthew’s PhD dissertation on meaningful nature experience, nature connectedness and its role in transformative education is freely available for download here »

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eyes4earth.org is a portal into meaningful nature experience and connectedness with nature. It draws on scientific research and experiential insight to explore implications for sustainability education and consciousness.
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The PhD research underpinning certain content on eyes4earth.org was completed in early 2014.

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