Sheila Williams ~ Singing Cloud

THE MARK OF MAN!

Sheila Williams ~ Singing Cloud: The Mark of Man! Mad laughter ringing,
all four winds are screaming,
the sound causes skin to crawl,
hair to lift on head and arms,
coyote sing and wolf to call,
bear is hidden in the wall,
eagle silent on the wing,
hawk stares into your eyes,
they are waiting for the fall,
can you blame them if they hate us all?

The finned float upon their backs,
no air is left in the sludge they drink,
slime on the waters grow,
humankind claimed to know,
as we watch the greens to die,
the deserts grow and never flower,
sands creep into home and bed,
where did the flooding go,
the way of prayers?

No snow falls this year,
empty hearts still know no fear,
silly mankind thinks it is good,
saving on his heating wood,
bustle, hurry, killing fields,
fighting for one bite of food,
where is the selu,
where is the wheat,
not even roots survive the heat,
and they dance on in ignorance,
are they insane?

Hurricanes have all died out,
no tornado or water spouts,
the ocean waves refuse to flow,
the river keeps its secrets close,
rocks piled to point the way,
all the trees have been cut down,
no digging now for gold and oil,
only begging the beans to grow,
precious moisture there is none,
not even dew for the bugs?

They used it up and wasted most,
threw away enough to feed the world,
playing games the greedy fools,
hoarding all and called it wealth,
killed their neighbor for the lands,
left their babies crying in the dark,
forced the world to walk the line,
then turned within, what was their plan?

Death stalking in the night,
whistling missile burning bright,
stop and smile thinking of yourself,
leading the way to kill yourselves,
purple shadows growing wide,
sit and watch the ices melt,
take and take,
do not give back,
let tomorrow fend for itself,
so tell me what you saved it for?

Little feathered bring the message,
circle high, sing and whistle,
curious about your words,
hoping somebody heard,
turtles buried in the mud,
it is they who will be here when you are gone,
tell me why the frogs all died,
tell me about the bees and butterflies,
they too were in your way,
now what do you say?

Poisons to you are progress,
just more of your madness,
atoms split mean destruction,
the only power you understand is killing,
so where now is earths magic,
no fairy dust can save you,
and what was it you did to the dreamers,
laughed at them in your scheming,
so my friends who will save you?

Listen to the night sounds grow,
as they wait like buzzards do,
panther, puma, bobcat too,
deer and spider, mouse in the field,
so few beaver now are left,
how long since the otters played,
elk, moose, polar bear, seal, and dolphin,
big blue whale,
how many thoughts did you give them?

Children gang up in the streets,
making families to watch their backs,
who is it that they fear, their own old ones
who are enemies and not protectors,
no one cares about the lessons from the ancients,
they will not learn from their lessons,
sweet memories are not of peace,
but bloody madness?

Chills run from head to feet,
bumpy skin like tiny feet,
walking through this misty graveyard,
once called the home of humankind,
finally we got our wishes,
we control the whole world,
who cares it is empty of all that is growing,
no bugs or weeds now to bother,
concrete covers all the water,
are you happy?

No more laughter in the sunshine,
no more children growing strong and healthy,
streaming bombs bursting in air,
ragged flags waving there,
no more pride in what we are,
no need now for hopeful prayers,
mankind came with screaming madness
wrote his name, and left his mark in blood!