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Links from the Show at a Glance:

 

Artist and Haiku Poet: Ania Archer

Title of Art: There is no planet B

Ania’s Instagram: @ania_archer

Sunshine Inspired Fauna Challenge on Instagram: @sunshine_inspired_fauna

 

Find out more about whale and porpoise conservation at us.whales.org

 

Art Ink Submission Guidelines: rebekahnemethy.com/artinksubs

 

 

 

Art Ink Podcast Transcript:

 

[Intro:]

 

Hey there! Thanks for joining me for what is truly a mixed bag of magick that I’ve got lined up for you right now. Today I’m so grateful to be introducing our first poetry-inspired show. That’s right, the story I’m going to share with you today, which is family-friendly, I might add, was inspired by six ocean-themed haikus written by my artsy friend Ania Archer.

 

She’s an animal lover, an advocate for conservation, and the creator of the Sunshine Inspired Fauna Challenge on Instagram, which brings awareness to endangered species of animals by collaborating with artists. If you’re interested in participating, you can find out more @sunshine_inspired_fauna.

 

Not only is Ania a poet and a change-maker, but she’s also the artist behind today’s cover art, which completes the magick trifecta I was eluding to just a minute ago.

 

So let’s dive in to look at that before we get this story started!

 

 

[Art Description:]

 

An illustration of Mother Earth, centered on the Atlantic Ocean, is adorned with some of the largest and smallest of her creations. We can see much of North and South America to the left and most of Africa to the right.

 

The northeastern region of the blue and green globe is covered by a bouquet of flowers; an orange tea rose, a pink peony, and a yellow poppy. A large green monstera leaf, intricately carved by natural design, rests behind them. Seemingly swimming across the bottom quarter of the planet is a larger than life humpback whale, curving around the Earth like a crescent moon.

 

Across the center of the digital design are the words, in white, “There is no planet B.”

 

Ania has always held a special place in her heart for the creatures inhabiting our oceans. That’s why it’s no surprise that when she shared her book of haikus with me they were filled with glimpses of the sea and its magnificent creatures.

 

As I read each poem a story started to grow, and that’s how Ahjah, the young blue whale swam into this stream of consciousness and now into your ears. I give you:

 

A Whale’s Tale – Inspired Ania Archer’s Haiku Poems

 

[Story:]

 

 

Part 1

 

#4

Ocean breeze around

touches clouds in the blue sky

mirrored in the waves

 

#21

Diving into deep

blue whale dreams of clean waters

filled with abundance

 

 

“Why did Gramma have to go?”

 

“Human season is a bit tough for her, Ahjee, your grandmother isn’t exactly fond of the creatures.” Balou paused to open his mouth as they swam through a particularly dense cloud of plankton.

 

“What’s she got against humans?” Ahjah was genuinely perplexed. Human season was her favorite time of year. She was especially fond of the chubby-cheeked small ones, and she usually only saw those when they migrated closer to the equator where the days were longer and warmer. Ahjah liked to swim with the humans. They were kind, docile animals, and the small ones were endlessly entertaining. Once, she even touched one, and when she looked into its eyes she saw a depth in them that was hard to describe.

 

“Well, she had quite the scare when she was just a calf, got herself stuck in human net, she did… but luckily she managed to break free or else neither of us would be here swimming as we are.”

 

“A net? What’s that papa?”

 

“Ah, that’s right, little one…” Balou said, and Ahjah could sense the proudness within the vibrations he was sending her way. “I’m glad you’ve never had a need to know.”

 

They swam for a bit longer in silence until Ahjah could no longer contain her curiosity. “So what is it?”

 

“Oh, well… it’s a bit scary, Ahjee… are you sure you want to know?”

 

Ahjah tipped herself upwards and then quickly back down in a full body nod.

 

“When your grandmother was your age the sea was riddled with far more dangers then there are now. The nets were used to drag fish from the sea, and those who got caught, well… they were rarely ever seen again.”

 

“And the humans did that?”

 

“I’m afraid so.”

 

Ahjah couldn’t eat after that, she felt sick thinking about those poor fish, and her poor Gramma; no wonder she’d swum out of there like an octopus out of an ink cloud at the first sign of humans.

 

They swam upwards, breeching the surface for a big breath of air. Once they dipped back beneath the waves, Balou finally broke the silence. “Did I ever tell you the story of how I met Tuttle?”

 

Ahjah looked at her father expectantly and he went on. “It wasn’t just the nets we had to avoid back then, there were also the island traps…”

 

 

Part 2

 

#25

Plastic filled ocean
floating in the deep waters

tricks the living critters

 

#37

Deeply in love

mother whale swims with her calf

Ocean is her world

 

 

Balou swam ahead of his mother as far as she would allow. He knew he’d heard… something… but the static was loud today. The extra humans on the surface always made the white noise get louder, but the floating mass of human debris that stretched endlessly above added to the noise in a big way. A rustling, clacking, clattering cacophony that increased steadily the further beneath the island they swam.

 

“That’s enough Balou, we must go back now.”

 

“But I know I heard something… just let me go a little further.”

 

“I don’t know how you can hear anything beneath all this racket. I haven’t heard a thing.”

 

Balou had slowed considerably, looking out into the dark waters ahead for any sign of movement. The dense island above blocked out most of the sunlight though, so it was difficult to see much of anything. He wanted to go on, but he knew his mother’s limits.

 

“Help!”

 

“You heard it that time, didn’t you?” Balou asked as he scanned the hulking shadow above. “It’s coming from up there.” He said, already moving to swim upwards.

 

“Don’t you dare go up there, Balou. You’ll be trapped!”

 

“But someone up there needs help mother!” And he shot toward the surface.

 

“Balou, no!” Her fear froze her for just a split second before motherly instinct took over and she followed quickly after her son.

 

At almost that same moment, a deep rumble added to the deafening drone that was always more apparent the closer they got to the surface.

 

Balou’s mother felt a wave of panic as she saw what it was, and despite knowing that Balou was already too far ahead to pick up on her vibrations she still yelled out a warning with as much force as she could muster. “Boat!!!”

 

***

 

Ahjah gasped, eyes wide.

 

“Don’t worry, Ahjee,” Balou said when he saw the fear in his daughter’s eyes, “you know Tuttle’s just fine.”

 

Ahjah relaxed, letting her breath back out in a grateful sigh at the reminder. “Was there a human in the boat? Was it a bad one?”

 

“Yes there was, and I’ll admit, I thought that sea turtle was done for when I saw that man in the boat reaching for him. Your grandmother had always warned me about the creatures, my whole life she did.”

 

“So what happened? Was that why Tuttle had been yelling for help?”

 

“No, no… well perhaps maybe he was yelling a bit more frantically as the human approached…” Balou let out a chuckle before he continued. “But he was originally yelling because the island had grabbed ahold of his flipper when he’d gone up for a breath of air and he was stuck. But that human, you know what he did?”

 

Ahjah swam in closer to her father as she looked at him expectantly.

 

“He used some kind of tool to free Tuttle’s flipper, and he swam out of there faster than I’ve ever seen any sea turtle move before, so fast in fact that he crashed right into my chin in his attempt to escape. He nearly knocked himself out!” Balou chuckled some more. “Tuttle and I have been friends ever since.”

 

“But if Gramma was with you when that happened, then why is she still afraid of humans?”

 

“That experience, my dear, is the only reason she doesn’t insist I completely forbid you from swimming anywhere near the creatures… but she’d still rather keep her own distance I suppose. It’s a bit sad, but sometimes old stories die hard.” Balou sighed.

 

“Ah but you haven’t even heard what else happened that day…” He paused for suspense. “More humans showed up in their boats, and the sound was deafening. We wouldn’t have heard a school of barracuda behind us if they were only a fin away, but by the time they’d come and gone a few times they’d taken the entire island trap with them. It was quieter in that ocean than I’d ever heard after they left, and they’d gone just in time for sunset too. It was the most beautiful day in my memory.”

 

Ahjah and Balou swam in silence for some time after that. Balou as he remembered, and Ahjah as she imagined, what a beautiful day that had been indeed.

 

 

Part 3

 

#45

In the vast ocean

a little pod of dolphins

plays in the wild waves

 

#46

Black and white creature

in the boundless blue ocean

leaps in happiness

 

 

[Conclusion:]

 

And that’s the world I want to leave you with. Although this was a fictional story, it doesn’t have to be.

 

We can each stand to make more sustainable choices in our everyday lives. If we buy more plant-based foods there will be less fishing nets out there to do harm. By recycling and reusing all that we can, there will be less plastic making its way into the ocean. If we shop as local as possible, there will be less need for shipments across oceans, which is one of the several causes of noise pollution that hinder many sea creature’s ability to communicate and navigate.

 

The Earth can actually heal herself, but it’d be a lot easier for her to get better if we were working with her rather than against her. Let’s each do our part.

 

Visit us.whales.org if you want to learn more about the multitude of mammals we share our oceans with and how you can contribute to creating a cleaner, healthier habitat for them.

 

And if you’re interested in using your art for good, you can always join Ania’s Sunshine Inspired Fauna Challenge over @sunshine_inspired_fauna on Instagram to help bring awareness to endangered species around the world and the organizations that are working to conserve them.

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