Precious Time

by Charity Kahn

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trees are singin’
requiem for all
air is ringin'
with the truth of its thrall
and the birds are fallin’
from the righteous sky
and the siren’s callin’
do or die

but we’re not ready
to watch it fade until it’s gone
and we’re never gonna be willin’
to stand down
and we’re so sorry
for all the wounds and transgressions
and we’re really gonna do better
from now on
tell me now who are we
in this precious time

here are some things
that make me scream and cry
colony collapse and drought
and gmos and refugees and
rising seas and endless war and
hungry kids and slaughter houses
homeless people shrinking forests
all this in our changing hands

but we’re not ready
to watch it fade until it’s gone
and we’re never gonna be willin’
to stand down
and we’re so sorry
for all the wounds and transgressions
and we’re really gonna do better
from now on
tell me now who are we
in this precious time