Poem: "Become for Us a Highway"
This poem came out of the March 17, 2026 Bonus Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from Dreamwidth user Alatefeline and 
janetmiles. It also fills the "WILD CARD: Paint" square in my 3-1-26 card for the National Crafting Month Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by janetmiles. It belongs to the series Feathered Nests.
"Become for Us a Highway"
The humans and the fifers
were talking about first contact
and the challenges of seeking out
new life forms and ecosystems.
"Well, first you have to define what
life is," Commander Tyre said,
viewing a textbook on a computer.
"Not everyone agrees about that."
"If it can be killed, then it
was alive," said Captain Judd.
"That's hardly a helpful way,"
Lieutenant Martina said
as she shook her head.
"Life makes more of itself,"
said Seriit. "Things that are
not alive don't do that."
"Life takes care of others,"
Trell said, looking at Seriit.
"Those are good points,"
Lieutenant Martina agreed.
"Life has a language, or
some kind of communication,"
Ensign Obert added.
"Not everything can talk,"
Captain Judd argued.
"It doesn't have to be speech,"
said Ensign Obert. "Back on
Earth, even trees and fungi
communicate, chemically."
"They do. It's fascinating,"
said Commander Tyre.
"I've seen illustrations."
Dree perked up at that,
ruffling his dyed feathers.
"Life makes art," he said.
"We express who we are
by our choice of the dyes
and paints that we use."
"Art is long. Life is short,"
said Commander Tyre.
"A picture can become
for us a highway between
a particular thing and
a universal feeling."
"If it makes art, then it's
alive," said Ensign Obert.
Commander Tyre added
that to his growing notes.
He liked their ideas more
than the ones in the textbook.
* * *
Notes:
"Art is long. Life is short. A picture can become for us a highway between a particular thing and a universal feeling."
-- Lawren Harris
Life is matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and the ability to sustain itself. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, organisation, metabolism, growth, adaptation, response to stimuli, and reproduction. All life eventually reaches a state of death, and none is immortal.
Trees Talk To Each Other. 'Mother Tree' Ecologist Hears Lessons For People, Too
janetmiles. It also fills the "WILD CARD: Paint" square in my 3-1-26 card for the National Crafting Month Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by janetmiles. It belongs to the series Feathered Nests."Become for Us a Highway"
The humans and the fifers
were talking about first contact
and the challenges of seeking out
new life forms and ecosystems.
"Well, first you have to define what
life is," Commander Tyre said,
viewing a textbook on a computer.
"Not everyone agrees about that."
"If it can be killed, then it
was alive," said Captain Judd.
"That's hardly a helpful way,"
Lieutenant Martina said
as she shook her head.
"Life makes more of itself,"
said Seriit. "Things that are
not alive don't do that."
"Life takes care of others,"
Trell said, looking at Seriit.
"Those are good points,"
Lieutenant Martina agreed.
"Life has a language, or
some kind of communication,"
Ensign Obert added.
"Not everything can talk,"
Captain Judd argued.
"It doesn't have to be speech,"
said Ensign Obert. "Back on
Earth, even trees and fungi
communicate, chemically."
"They do. It's fascinating,"
said Commander Tyre.
"I've seen illustrations."
Dree perked up at that,
ruffling his dyed feathers.
"Life makes art," he said.
"We express who we are
by our choice of the dyes
and paints that we use."
"Art is long. Life is short,"
said Commander Tyre.
"A picture can become
for us a highway between
a particular thing and
a universal feeling."
"If it makes art, then it's
alive," said Ensign Obert.
Commander Tyre added
that to his growing notes.
He liked their ideas more
than the ones in the textbook.
* * *
Notes:
"Art is long. Life is short. A picture can become for us a highway between a particular thing and a universal feeling."
-- Lawren Harris
Life is matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and the ability to sustain itself. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, organisation, metabolism, growth, adaptation, response to stimuli, and reproduction. All life eventually reaches a state of death, and none is immortal.
Trees Talk To Each Other. 'Mother Tree' Ecologist Hears Lessons For People, Too