MUSES:

She never looks up or raises her face

From the ground. She is like a rock or wave of the sea

When those who love her try to give advice;

Except that sometimes she lifts up her pallid face

And mourns for her dear soil

Her roots, and the home she betrayed.

GAIA:

What a lucky accident of primate evolution mankind was. How clumsy it got on his feet and marveled through my world as a fresh unseen creature. 
When I saw how humanity was evolving I realized what had struck me. Humanity had planted an inescapable arrow from its golden bow in my chest. So intensely vibrant: my heart battered for mankind. Love compelled me to save mankind. We joined our forces, created a bond. I saved your skin.

And humanity’s devotion is clear: humans possess an unstoppable tendency to seek connection with nature and other forms of life. Humans bond with other species is profound, it is exploring and affiliating with blossoming life. The appearance of nature is universally admired, and the experience with it is rooted in the evolutionary history of the human species. The practical dependence of humans on me, the satisfaction they gained when interacting with me, the physical attraction and emotional connection. It eluded positive feelings, uncompromising attractions.

So intense its impact has been on my surface. So little geological time mankind needed to be where it is now. How it continued to wipe out my wildlife and plants. Disasters occurred, domestication arose. And humanity keeps on growing, promising to populate this surface with nearly 10 billion people by 2050. Pressure on existing wild nature rises further. And I helped mankind, I let parts of my limbs die and held up the light of safety for it.

Yes, living together with me, mankind has been involved in nature in an influential way since it was there. Just like everything else in an ecosystem: it is responding towards its environment, and the environment responds to them.

Yet the human divergence, which happened by means of the technological developments from the 19th century on, is growing more profoundly and has impact upon the surface and air. It fundamentally changed human interaction with nature. Already the notion of them not being constantly near me, but in enclosed and sterile spaces such as houses, workplaces and cars seemed to have an effect on our relationship. The balance of power changed, humanity became the ruler, the architect, the caretaker of my soil.

Mankind grew wary of its relation with me. I feel ruined - driven to exile. Should I let it go then, is humanity wicked? Doesn’t it know how much it owes to me? This is not daring; this is not courage. I wonder, a reshaped relationship with the earth, can this be found in visual art manufactured by mankind itself?

While mankind seems estranged from me, there are still three living spirits that are connecting us together. The children of Mankind and me are my only hope: for they will show me how the balance between us can be found. Mankind made our children stronger and more swift of foot than any other. They are made from my roots and earth, and from its flesh and blood. They can comprehend mankind so much better than I can at this stage.

The Silk Gardener in the Lime Lava Greenhouse, will you plan a construction of my garden Earth, where mankind and I will live in harmony? Or the Pigmented Cavewoman on the Sandstone Bridge, will you show Mankind a portal to an ancient civilization, the glory days of mankind and me? Or will it be you, Crystal Dusted Witch in the Pearly Pebbled Valley, who will enlighten me with your crystal dusted wisdom? Oh soft skin and lovely breath of my children, my energy is running low. Fatigue is taking hold of me.

GAIA:

It is at once great pleasure, and great pain. Let me wait a short time, in case some tower of strength will occur to me. I will take my rest lying on this foreign soil. I only hope it is my luck to grow old. For now, I will close my eyes

SHE REPOSES ON A COMPACT MASS OF SWAMP, HER SOUL STOLEN BY THE DARKEST SHADOW. FADING INTO OBLIVION.