Saturday, December 30, 2017

A DECLARATION FOR THE WILDLANDS



I hold this truth to be self-evident,
that this earth was created 
as an interconnected
and interdependent system,
so what happens to one part, 
happens to us all.

I believe this earth was always
meant to be a garden, 
for all to share, 
with man as one part only,
careful steward, 
not lord and master
over all other beings.

I believe the animals and creatures 
of land, air and sea, 
understand this truth, 
with grief in their hearts
for Man’s lack of comprehension 
of this vision.

The polar bears, starving 
on their melting ice,
the lions, hunted to extinction 
in “canned hunting” compounds,
the whales and the salmon, 
succumbing to warming seas,
disease, pollution and plastic,
the elephants, slaughtered 
for their ivory tusks,
Mother Earth, herself, 
crying in her loudest voice
over the death of all her children,
know this is not how Planet Earth
was ever meant to be.

There is Enough for All,
if the rich and greedy would share;
there is Enough for All,
if corporations would care,
or if, somehow, they
simply were not there.

I hold this truth to be self-evident:
What happens to one of us,
happens to us all.
One day corporate greed itself
will fall. 


for Bjorn's prompt at Real Toads: to write a Manifesto. My voice will always speak for the wildlands and all of its creatures. 


9 comments:

  1. What happens to one happens to all...I love this manifesto of yours Sherry. So full of peace and longing for a better world.I wish for you love, joy, poetry, and the feelingof a cold nose nudging your elbow and the long jubilant howl of a wolf.

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  2. There is Enough for All!

    Amen, Sherry. Thank you for being the poet who devotes her voice to the most important struggle of all - appreciation of and preservation of the natural world.

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  3. Love how you quoted the famous text lines and made them your (and our) own. Taking back the words and change them to what's self evident is great. Love the strength of your voice in this.

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  4. They will fall surely and Mother earth will heal Herself.

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  5. I'm all for ridding earth of the human virus. Or of its viral corporate greed. But I'm not sure you can lose the one without taking the other. Entirely with you on this one!

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  6. Perfect manifesto. How do we get the greedy to understand it?

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  7. Count me in, Sherry.
    Happy New Year !!!

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    Replies
    1. Like your art choice. Seems to fit nicely.

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  8. Yes indeed! (I also think there are too many of us , and that's adding to the problems.)

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