How we lost our way

When looking out to sea, we could see breakers on the curve,

We knew that out there was a reef, so great as to test the nerve,

Of mariners in wooden ships, who ran aground upon her rocks,

And old sea dogs in fishing boats, who feed the markets with their stocks.

And that is how we looked at her for generations hence,

We caught her fish, we dodged her rocks and thanked her for strong defense,

Against the mighty ocean swell and that was all, we built our towns,

We tilled our fields, we planted crops, we made our lives in her surrounds.

The towns along the North Coast all did sugar and / or fish,

A few produced some minerals, and rare produce, considered swish,

But none could count on doing well, on any given year,

Their volatile commodities, meant cash was scarce, but not so fear.

The sagely village elders, tried their best, to make a buck,

Different kinds of fishing, farming, prospecting for golden luck..

But all in all, as kids grew up, they’d see the prospects far away,

They’d all set forth and leave the North, and thus the towns grew old and grey.

This sad and sliding situation, plays for many, many years,

Those who stayed would see their small towns wither, bringing tears.

Then a few things happened, which injected back the life,

Into these tired communities, but like so much, was born of strife.

An ancient rain-soaked forest on the rugged northern shores,

Where explorations yeilded novel species by the score,

An isolated paradise, a-ring with loud exotic chimes.

With clouds and rain of it’s own making, a window to the early times.

But just as we were figuring, how very precious were these hills,

Along came Bijelkie-Peterson, who wanted farms and mines and mills.

He wanted a great city, on the place upon which stands,

This ancient forest, drawing fame, and visitors from foreign lands.

A story quite familiar, was unfolding on the Reef,

The first to see the photographs, were deeply moved beyond belief.

As early reef explorers such as Rummny, and Halstead,

Began to show their images of stunning gardens on the bed,

Of crystal clearest shallow seas just heaving with the hum,

Of the myriad inhabitants whose value far exceeds their sum.

They saw the great constructions that the corals build, combine,

To form a living labyrinth within which fish, both fat and fine,

And every other form of living thing then populates,

Every bit of empty space between the coral’s lacy plates.

Competition, evolution, niches many to the meter,

Speciation’s fine solutions, to the edge on which we teeter.

Boffins scooped up brand new species, every time they dipped their nets.

They also scooped up human faeces, pointing out assorted threats.

As findings told of mortal harms which emanate from what we do,

The public got right up in arms, demanding; “all threats old and new,

Be relegated to the past, the tipping point is drawing nigh,

And if we don’t do something fast, our natural world will surely die”.

Their messages got traction, and the world then joined the cause,

And the chorus of our action forced our captains then to pause...

Even back in ninety-one, visitors would ask of me,

Was it my opinion , that right now was our, last chance to see…

This awesome natural wonder which sits tilting on the edge,

But I tell them that the cash they’ve spent maintains the Reef upon it’s ledge.

You see people from the Cities, where success was gauged with cranes,

Beginning to get cashed right up and some were jumping onto planes.

Some of them were curious, about the state’s Far Northern shore,

And rushed to see the rainforests, and reefs before they were no more,

In doing so they dumped their cash into the local money pool,

The locals came to view their natural world as their great printing tool.

Upon this realization, there came pressure, and we to-ed and fro-ed,

How can we save our great cash cow, from the things that might erode,

It’s massive economic value, to the people of the coast,

Is it business as before, or tourism that matters most?

With billions coming in, and tens of thousands holding jobs,

It’s not a very tricky choice, and so thusly said the nobs;

“We will protect the forests and the corals off our shores”,

They reached out to UNESCO and they drafted up some laws.

It’s where the Rainforest Meets the Reef, our banners bold proclaim,

It’s where you come to see the Greatest, Show on Earth, that was our claim.

And for a generation, we were a people viewed as green,

We were an “Honest Broker” nation, with foresight and a long-term dream.

And then the mining numbers, pipped travel at the ledger post.

At once the captains who had worn, the greenest stripes began to host...

An everlasting dirt banquet, for all their rich golf mates with mines,

And with dedicated media, including great big billboard signs,

The ones who stood to lose the most, from all that public greeniness,

Began to change the zeitgeist, to accept their abject greediness.

We were told that we must fear, the other people in the streets,

We were molded far and near into masses who view treats,

As fundamental human rights and thus when we’re deprived,

We will throw tantrums, spit and fight, it’s a wonder we’ve survived.

While bitching over petty trifles, jerking on their puppet strings,

Your head is squarely in their rifles, as they have their way with things.

And speaking of those strings they hold, well, while you’ve been away,

They’ve launched projects, big and bold, and now our Reef’s in fast decay.

And if you think that there’s no “they”, then you’re a special kind of fool.

You are their paradoxic, bluntest, yet their sharpest, favorite tool.

If not for you then all those people sitting on the fence,

Would be forced to pick a side and own up under history’s lens.

“I can keep my dividend, and still get sleep at night,

If I let this shill defend, my free market investor’s right,

To profit any way I choose, provided that I pay some tax,

And knowing well that more will lose, to drive my profits to the max”.

And as we’ve let the worst of us, now represent the rest,

We’ve lost the reins, and now it’s out, and shitting calmly in our nest.

And every time we try to get in, just to muck the beds of soil,

The foul beast snaps and lunges, growling, as from it’s reach we fast recoil.

If we can’t get near the thing, we can’t expect to train,

A dog who did less harm than this, we’d probably not see again.

We know the monster that we’ve built, is rotten in it’s core,

It is avarice incarnate and it can’t stop wanting ever more.

We know we’ll never change it, many greats have strived,

They forge a new society, “Enlightened times have now arrived!”

Then over time the citizen, gets lazy in their chore,

Of recognizing evil men, who will do anything to score,

They listen to the bastards, who are there you bend your will,

To the whimsy of their masters, who control you up until,

You recognize their methods, and then fortify your mind,

And deny them their capacity, to render you to some things blind.

Our duty is to act with care, and stop these cretins in their tracks,

Firstly through the systems there, to save the shirts upon our backs,

But if those systems fail us as they're ripped apart in broad daylight, 

History shows when there are no more options left then we will fight.

If we don’t, the ones with power, will lose control of our bob sled,

Then you’ll lose your shirt for sure, and maybe even end up dead.

Like 0 Pin it 0