Poems

Do Humans Dream of Coal-Fired Sheep?

A Poem

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedWhere've they gone, those coal-fired sheep?
I used to count them in my sleep,
Flamed woolly coat keeping me warm.
But now, in keeping with the new norm,
I'm supposed to switch to electric ones,
Their static fur for my long-johns?
But I much prefer the old analogue billow
(The digital kept away from the pillow),
Smoke like the fires of my childhood,
With stories and songs from the times good.

Should I be sheepish for this "vice"
And give that lamb as a sacrifice?
No! I know these pastures well,
Where simulations cannot tell
That grasses green their bellies need
And not some factory line feed!
Electric fires mean wires fray;
Coal-fired sheep are bright for days.
Their red sky gives this shepherd delight
Where metaverse flocks find only fright.

Do Humans Dream of Coal-Fired Sheep? ~ by Tom Shaw

This poem comes from my latest book, Go Forth, Butterfly! - and a poem I had the pleasure of performing at a poetry night in Dorset this week. I selected it specifically because we had an EMF awareness theme to the poetry night after Abby, one of the hosts, recently developed severe sickness when in the presence of artificial EMFs. The situation is so severe that she is fully out of work and has had to move out of her rental home (due to EMFs from adjacent shops and neighboring houses) and is temporarily residing with a friend all the way in the next county over just to be able to sleep and function normally. She decided to go ahead with hosting the night, on the condition that all Wi-Fi and phones in the venue we were using were switched off.

There is something inherently nurturing about the analogue world that does not rely on the use of artificially-generated EMFs, and I used my time on the stage to highlight this. I spoke to my own experience with where I find myself experiencing illness from EMFs, the insights I gained from reading The Invisible Rainbow by Arthur Firstenberg, and some practical suggestions on how to navigate EMF-dense environments - all interwoven with pieces of poetry such as the piece you’ve read today.

While the dangers of artificial EMFs are nothing to new to the many holistic health-oriented communities and initiatives across the world, this was a poetry night designed to serve the local community in Dorset. Most of the guests in attendance live objectively conventional lifestyles, with no perceived need to immerse themselves in cultures where they gain this kind of knowledge.

As sad as the circumstances were around the need to organize the poetry night with such a lens, it also provided a powerful opportunity to broaden people’s horizons about an aspect of health that is neglected by the medical industry, technology companies, and government institutions more broadly - despite the significant amount of scientific data around it. Doctors, healers and educators have had to learn for themselves the extent of the problem - and also what solutions might look like. Doc Malik does an excellent breakdown of this in a recent article and reflections on his EMF-focused podcasts:

In my research, I came to the conclusion that all of us are being affected adversely by artificial EMFs in one way or another - it’s just that many become accustomed to living in a state of semi-illness, or for whatever reasons are more or less noticing of the effects than others. But if this poetry night is anything to go by, awareness is growing. I look forward to seeing EMF-free spaces, silver-lined clothing and sacred geometry technology becoming more commonplace in the coming years.

And of course, clearing away devices and tech that is harming us with EMFs. It is not wrong to want an analogue world, to have the right to be “disconnected” from the noise and chatter of the whole world. It’s why I wrote the poem I did. And with that, I’ll leave you with one of Abby’s own poems that may inspire you to clear anything that is not love. Because love is the best natural frequency for healing.

Your Turn

Abby is looking for ways she can bring back her usual routines - which is currently prevented by the number of EMF-heavy environments she currently has to face. It’s almost impossible for her to spend any time near computers or phones currently. If there’s any way you’d like to help someone who’s been supporting local community poetry for over a decade, then please get in touch with her through her website:

Get In Touch

Thank you for making the time to read this piece. If you’d like to support my work financially, please consider making a one-time donation or getting a copy of my poetry book, Go Forth, Butterfly! - these small things really helps to keep my efforts going.

And if you’re in need of poetic support in dealing with the challenges you’re facing in life, I can help.

Find Out More

I look forward to bringing you more soon.

With gratitude,

Tom