I came late to the game.
By the time I arrived
I believe the die was already cast.
There were woods here then.
I wandered and explored.
Turned over a log.
Threw pebbles in the stream.
I once saw a silver fox in the shadows.
Startled that anyone had found her haunts,
she slunk away
and I did not follow.
A rabbit would freeze in its age-old ploy
And I would think
there is no need for that, little one
no need
you are safe with me
no need
go in peace.
Those same acres now
filled with concrete and tar
and glass and bargains
baubles to covet.
Bargains and baubles
and concrete and tar.
To banish the fox was easy
but how do you hide a stream?
Very clever people worked here.
There is no sign of the stream.
Very clever people.
I read of a great mind,
a very clever man too in his own way.
He warned that we must
quickly plant ourselves on our moon
and on neighboring planets.
because Earth may soon be uninhabitable
and if we don’t make colonies elsewhere
we may disappear as a species.
He is the type of man
the very clever type of man
who can hide streams
and who would then hide from the hidden streams.
When I was young
the thought would not have come at all
and later it would have formed only slowly
But now it struck me with a flash.
Why?
Why must we colonize other worlds?
Plant ourselves in other places?
So that we can jump from the rotting carcass we have ruined?
We would ruin those worlds too.
More nests to foul.
Would it be such a disaster
if there were no clever men?
No men at all?
Anywhere?
Where is the disaster in that?
Are we so important
that our absence would be a tragedy?
Would it be tragic if plants poked through the tar?
If a muddy stream washed over the bargains?
If vines claimed our toys
and the plundered deadball were to struggle back to life?
Let me ask the fox.
When I find the fox again
I will ask the fox.
Are we needed here, fox?
Will you mourn when we are gone?
Being new here
I knew no better
than to lie to the rabbit.
I told the rabbit
it was safe here with me.