whales are wondrous gentle giants
intelligent curious and playful
diving under our tourist boat
eyeballing me from the back deck
leaping about with sheer excitement
breaching, tail flapping and rolling
just so joyful and happy to be alive.
on our attention and cheering they thrive
decades ago
the whale wharf in Byron shocked me
the stench of blubber left to rot
attracted the sharks in feeding frenzies
why did we murder such fun friends
felt my blood boil as I watched
the Japanese harpoon slaughter
relieved the Sea Shepherd crew
put up a fight ramming them
more recently
Hervey Bay during the season
on the smallest boat possible
knowing they’d come to watch us
just as we love to watch them
its where they migrate to give birth
a long swim from the Antarctic.
had spotted them from the coast
on that whale trek up north
so blessed to see them often
but the most special event
was when one adult breached up front
I had a personal encounter down aft
a moment for him and me
to connect, nobody would believe
how wondrous that could be
they always leave me feeling full of awe
seek out such an experience for sure
for without a close whale encounter you are truly poor
Tired of all the sad and bad news … here is an instance of how we did turn world attitudes around and save a species from annihilation. We achieved it in this instance so let’s repeat this remarkable favourable outcome for more species. Meanwhile rejoice in such an achievement!
aroused 
Stunning poem. It is good they are being saved to a certain degree.
love the whole poem.. but the last versus strike me
a moment for him and me
to connect, nobody would believe
how wondrous that could be
they always leave me feeling full of awe
seek out such an experience for sure
for without a close whale encounter you are truly poor
Because – I am not sure when I will see a whale in the wild. I have seen them in Florida sea world. Amazing. but not the same as in the wild.
I do hope you are well Kate. I have been AWOL /MIA … all sorts.
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hey not all of us are blessed … so very glad you are still here 🙂
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Yes you are right.
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WOW!!! What a WONDERFUL experience!!! Truly magnificient!!! I’ve never been so close to a whale. The energy must be so beautiful and overwhelming. Thank You, Kate!!! You just gifted my heart a HUGE smile!!! 😃❤️🤗
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glad of that Katy, you deserve it … they are wondrous curious and intelligent gentle creatures and I’m so glad we now watch them play 🙂
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Such amazing creatures! You could watch them for hours and hours. Thank you for sharing your poems! I love the line, “just so joyful and happy to be alive.” Recently, i was watching a video of elephants taking a ‘bath’. Again, they were having so much fun!!! It is so very hard to understand how anyone could hurt these marvelous animals.
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Thanks for sharing this here.
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I haven’t been on any such tours but I can see the amazing talent they have got. Also I have read a couple of fascinating stories. Aren’t we humans the cruelest thing ever existed on the planet.
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How inspiring, Kate! Beautiful.
I have had a chance to see closely, whales, sharks, dolphins and porpoises when they swim close to the ship. It is an experience one can never forget.
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more like being on stage 😉
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I haven’t seen one ..ever😔😔😔 and i wish i will soon but not the one in captivity…
Your verses inspired me to find ways and go on a whale adventure.
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I’m a lucky ‘Whale Watcher’ Kate … and hopefully, I’ll be able to go again soon … a lovely train trip down to Warnambool, then over to Logans Beach’s official viewing platform (free).
http://www.warrnambool.com/whale-watching … I loved your proactive poem, and yes we human’s can reverse our mistakes of the past, and hopefully we can do the same for other struggling species. 🌏🐋🐳😍
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I loved this post! Yes, we need to celebrate the things that are going right, and try to repeat them whenever possible. We most certainly can save more animals, and fish, etc…..and the chance to truly connect with one is priceless.
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I am so happy , Kate , to read you again .I agree with what you say in your poem.
I have made some research about Hervey Bay and it appears it is an exceptional coast . Wonderful .I understand that amazing coast inspired you this beautiful poem, Kate . ❤
Love ❤
Michel
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I live about 5.5 hours south and this coast is also amazing but the bays in and around Hervey bay are like the birthing wards so one is more sure to see mothers and babies froliking about after birth! Down here they are merely swimming by, so I live on a whale highway 🙂
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Australia is like a wonderland , Kate /. ❤
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I would love to see whales one day….
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What a beautiful poem to honor and cherish the whales! They are wonderful, indeed! 🙂 Your poem got me joy-teary-eyed! 🙂 ❤️
We must always care for nature…we couldn’t survive without the plants, trees, flowers, animals, creatures, moon, stars, sun, ETC! We should always care, help, protect, observe…learn from them and seek to be more like them.
(((HUGS))) 🙂
🐳💙🐋💚 🐳💙🐋💚
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Such a beautiful picture of joy and they too deserve freedom. A lovely post Kate ❤️
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We are heading to Alaska and had hoped to see some whales but were told they weren’t in the area at this time of year… Now I’m really disappointed as your poem makes me long for that same encounter! Hope you are staying optimistic – I’m struggling due to the politics here… so many things going wrong I needed this victorious poetry reminder! Thanks ❤
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Something good for sure. And good to see you here Kate. How are you doing my friend?
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Oh I love this Kate.. I too am a lover, staunch supporter of their continual existence and an observer off our own shores when they head south. How beautiful to make that eye connection. You were gifted a very special moment. Thank you for sharing your love and your experiences with our gentle giants!!
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thanks for inspiring this one Karima! I totally appreciated your one from your openism fest 🙂
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Beautiful poem… And yes the Whales such an important species… They hold frequencies too for our planet with their Song, like the Dolphins…. Too long they have been persecuted…
What a profound experience….. I’m quite envious lol…. 🙂 ❤
I have great hope for Humanity, we may all need to breach our boundaries and take those leaps of faith shortly…
Soon….. more revelations will emerge Kate… I was once told by spirit about the Whale and Dolphin…. and how they kept the grid of Earth within their vibration of Song and Sonic clicks…. Much more intelligent species than humans ever give them credit for….
My daughter once went out to Hawaii to do a Whale ceremony with some spiritual grid workers… She said to look in the eye of a Whale is out of this world.. 🙂 that’s why I said how I was envious… You were meant to be there at that time…. and experience that connection.. ❤ ❤
Much love Kate.. ❤
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How wonderful to watch the whales, Kate! I loved both the photo and the poem. We watch dolphins here, which is an awe-inspiring experience. I have only seen whales at the aquarium! 🙂 Sharks are multiplying at California beaches, but everything is peaceful, as if a truce has been called between them and people! ❤
I heard yesterday that beaches in New York are being visited by many sharks and people are being advised to go in the water only ankle deep. Some beaches are being closed. There have been several shark attacks there. Sharks are thought to be multiplying rapidly due to global warming. People go to the beach to cool off as the power grids are overwhelmed in record heat.
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I heard yesterday that beaches in New York are being visited by many sharks and people are being advised to go in the water only ankle deep. Some beaches are being closed. There have been several shark attacks there. Sharks are thought to be multiplying rapidly due to global warming. People go to the beach to cool off as the power grids are overwhelmed in record heat.
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same problem we’ve always had here Cheryl … better to be hot and alive than rather than be mauled by a shark … this heatwave is too sad! We’re having a much colder winter than usual. The extremes are very scary.
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oh to connect that strongly with a ‘knowing’ eye much bigger than my own head … words can never do justice. Thanks for getting me 😉
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Inspiring. To see a whale/whales (not in captivity) is on my bucket list. 😉 Hugs
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Inspiring post Kate! Your verses remind us that we can collectively make a difference.
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yes and we often bemoan we aren’t doing enough so we do need reminders that we have kicked some goals Richard 🙂
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What a special moment, animals teach us so much about how to truly live. Really enjoyed the poem, and the photo, Kate 😊
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they sound wonderous Kate! 🙂
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