Kings of a Lonely Kingdom: Earth Day Essays, Poems, and Musings on Nature

Kingdom: Earth Day Essays, Poems, and Musings on Nature is born out of David C. Mahood’s concern about climate change and loss of biodiversity. Though climate change is not a newly discovered concept, the pace at which the world is responding to the call for switching to cleaner and more sustainable choices is disturbingly slow. David raises the idea that caring for other species is a way of caring for humans as our survival is tied to theirs. Parents who want a great life for their children are admonished that depriving them of the natural gifts of this planet is a complete failure. These and more issues related to preserving the environment and humanity are discussed in the book, including Covid-19, racial protests, the unfair treatment of Native Americans, natural disasters, possible solutions, plastics and ocean pollution, greedy corporations, and more.

In this expressive, educative, and pleasingly artistic work, David C. Mahood calls to all individuals, groups, governments, societies, non-governmental organizations, and corporations to make more environmentally friendly decisions. David C. Mahood’s essays and poems express, with deep empathy and concern, the path to follow to avoid the reality of an unlivable future for our children and the generations to come as the present world is already experiencing the adverse effect of depleting the planet.

I found the book quite educative and revealing as I learned some new words—like anthropomorphism—and discovered the plight of Native Americans in the US, which I found seriously concerning. Readers are provided with relatable analogies that reveal the intensity of some environmental problems. For example, the idea that the drastic decline of monarch butterfly population could be linked to the elimination of milkweed is compared to being stuck in a place where all gas stations are closed and in a time before cell phones. I enjoyed reading the poems, and my favorite one, “Lessons from the Soccer Match”, is inspired by the author’s son’s soccer game. It explores the spirit of collaboration in sportsmanship and teamwork.

As a passionate lover of nature and biodiversity who never stops talking about simplifying life and preserving nature to those who care to listen, I feel the world needs more heroic and visionary individuals like David C. Mahood, who take out time to inform the world to care more about preserving our planet. A world where everyone makes sustainable choices, as suggested in the book, is one I hope to live in. Every mature individual should read Kingdom: Earth Day Essays, Poems, and Musings on Nature as the important issues raised about preserving our planet in the book concern us all.