Wrongs Beyond Number 15X38 Pastel and pencil on paper

All over the world, misconceptions about bats have led to campaigns to eliminate bats entirely. Unfortunately, humans have developed weapons and explosives that are highly effective at doing this.

In his book The Secret Lives of Bats, Merlin Tuttle describes one method of elimination.

As we stopped the pickup and got out, one of the men hoisted the flamethrower onto his back. It was fairly simple. A couple of fuel tanks in a special backpack were held in place with shoulder straps. A hose, pistol grip-type trigger, and nozzle were hand-held in front. When the trigger was pulled, a stream of gas would be ignited and sprayed up to 30 feet, incinerating anything in its path. I made sure I was in the rear.

However, in that instance, and many others, just a little bit of education and outreach about bats can turn things around. Moreover, looking at the way we treat bats reveals other beliefs that we hold about nature. Wrongs Beyond Number represents both hope and grief in bat conservation.

The title Wrongs Beyond Number is taken from W.B. Yeat's poem The Watch-fire, and the Book of Job from the Bible.

The Watch-fire
W.B. Yeats

This song unto all who would gather together and
hold
Brother by brother;
A watch and a ward by the watch-fire of Eri, our
old
And long-weeping mother.
This song unto all who would stand by the fire of
her hope,
And droop not nor slumber;
But keep up the high and the mirthful proud
courage to cope
With wrongs beyond number.
This song unto all who would gather and help yet
once more
Eri, our mother;
And do nought that would anger the famous and
great gone before
Brother by brother.

The Book of Job - Verse 18:15

Fire races through their dwelling, until nothing remains.
Burning sulphur is scattered on their home.

Wrongs Beyond Number is based on the harmonic pattern of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah.