Once they owned this Earth
Those Great swathes of tree
Foresting the rolling lands
Coast to coast, ocean to sea,
Helping balance climate until
Man came to chop them down
Replacing soft green rich earth
By concrete carpets of the town.
In the Amazon forest these days
A devastating modern scene.
Once tree graced land stripped
And sown with soya bean
Grown to feed domestic animals,
Herded cattle in a world wide range
Belching and farting nitrogen that
Helps accelerate climate change.
And it's shipped world wide
In a huge logistic feat
By one of the greatest polluters
The international marine fleet.
And so man the destroyer helps
Speed up the melting polar cap
Profit having no thought or concern
For those the rising waters trap.
it's a natural cycle they say,
Climate changes over the years
But it seems to accelerate when
Unconcerned man interferes.
Is there a direct comparison with
The rate they chop trees down
And the amount of once dry land
Rising waters inexorably drown
Will there be an understanding
Will mans' destruction cease
Will we find a new harmony
Will we eventually find peace
The trees silently stand
Serenely overlooking all
Until, maybe the axeman,
And one by one they fall.