WORDS RATIONED
The Ballerina’s Consort
A haiku and some thoughts

gently, gracefully pirouettes ballerina hungry grub guffaws
— Aparna

Can you see the ballerina twirling with fluid elegance, rain drops clinging to her tutu?
The iris is in full bloom! I am always fascinated by the poise of this beautiful flower. But the story is not complete yet. You might perhaps have missed it in the flow of her pirouette, but look carefully at the image below. Do you see the sly grub on the underside of her petal? He is no doubt, preparing for a feast!

The beautiful ballerina might have to die, so the voracious grub can live…
But nature will ultimately restore balance, provided man does not disrupt its cycle through excessive interference¹. Such is the balancing harmony of nature’s mellifluous orchestra…

Pesticides Destroy Ecosystems — Naturally Balanced Landscapes Are Healthy
¹Certain types of grubs and beetles often acquire a diabolical reputation amongst gardeners, on account of the damage they can cause plants. The resulting fear causes gardeners to douse their gardens with unwholesome pesticides. Net result — the baby gets thrown out along with the bathwater. If only we could calm our fears, and contain our meddling!
Virtually every pest has a natural enemy — when balanced, these enemies keep the harmful pest population to a minimum, and thus reduce plant damage. Once the natural balance is disrupted (typically via the use of synthetic pesticides etc), resurgence of the pest is often quicker than the beneficial organism, ultimately resulting in an increase in plant damage.
Naturally balanced landscapes² are healthy landscapes, that contain a wide variety of beneficial insects and predators, as well as a tolerable level of damaging pests. These landscapes work with nature without a large need for outside inputs. They are good for the planet, make economic sense and avoid the adverse health impacts of chemical pesticides leaching into the environment. All they ask for, is a certain amount of patience and tolerance…
I would like to take a moment to thank Thomas Gaudex, whose poignant story I Wonder What’s Next introduced me to the work of wildlife photographer Vincent Munier. I was so inspired by Munier’s deep sensitivity, artistry and relentless diligence, that I felt compelled to go back and retake my photographs for this piece, so I could show the ballerina actually pirouetting (all the motion effects in the images were created in-camera and not through post-processing). Of course it made me feel like the art student, who goes to the museum of fine arts with her sketch pad(!), but one has to start somewhere…
Human Meddling With Nature Causes Disruption of Nature’s Cycle
²To read more about biological pest control, integrated pest management and naturally balanced landscapes, refer to the links below:
My ‘Words RATIONED’ series is my attempt to inculcate self-discipline and restraint; espousing the philosophy of ‘less is more’ in words, consumption, relationships, residue. Click here for more.
©Aparna Singh 2022. All Rights Reserved. #DreamscapesByAparna #WordsRationed #TheBallerinasConsort #PesticidesDestroyEcosystems #Ecosophy #Ecopoetry #NaturallyBalancedLandscapesAreHealthy #HumanMeddlingWithNature #DisruptionOfNaturesCycle #NaturallyBalancedLandscapes #BiologicalPestControl #BiologicalControl #IntegratedPestManagement #NatureIsNotOursToConquer #HumanityCantConquerNature #HumansCantMasterNature #LeaveNatureAlone #EcologicalWisdom #NaturesBalance #HumanInterference #HumanImpactOnEnvironment #EnvironmentalImpact #PesticidesWreakHavoc
