Joe Jencks

I am the wolf, I’ve roamed the forest thirty-million years.
I am the whale, I’ve swam the oceans twenty-million more.
I am the loon my cry’s been heard one-hundred-sixty-million years.
I am the turtle; the weight of the world is on my back.

I am the spirit of all living things.
I am the creator of this paradise that you live in.
I am the crying voice of every species now extinct.
I beg you hear my call remember who your mother is.

The earth is yours to borrow not to own.
In the great sea of the cosmos it’s our only home.
If we borrow from tomorrow and make debts we cannot pay,
soon all life will vanish, it will all return to clay.

You tear apart my mountains in your foolish search for gold.
You cut down all my forests, and put craters and my soul.
You drop your toxins in my lakes and desecrate my streams.
I am the voice of dying earth, can’t you hear me scream.

Can’t you hear me scream?

The earth is yours to borrow not to own.
In the great sea of the cosmos it’s our only home.
If we take the bounty of this land for greed instead of need,
We will hear the owl call our name, thus the elder say… thus the elder say.

Respect your elders.

I am the wolf, I’ve roamed the forest thirty-million years.
I am the whale, I’ve swam the oceans twenty-million more.
I am loon my cry’s been heard on-hundred-sixty-million years.
I am the turtle; the weight of the world is on my back.

I am the spirit of all living things.
I am the creator of this paradise that you live in
I am the crying voice of every species now extinct
I beg you hear my call remember who your mother is.

© 1993 Joe Jencks