What if the earth was vengeful
What if she chose to rage against us all

whether we ignored her
loved her
turned from her
towards her
harmed her
cared for her
raped her
exploited her
ravaged her
tore from her
disappeared her children
extincting them
genociding them
or not

What if she fought back
said enough is enough
You 
people
have betrayed my trust 
violated our sacred pact
for the last time

You 
my children
you are not welcome here anymore
I can't continue to support you
enable you 
as you run blind on this path of destruction
I can't trust you anymore

Every time I welcome you back
you take and take
Take advantage of my love
of my desire 
my yearning
my need
to see you well 
and whole 
and filled with the beauty of this life

Each time
you choose 
to steal from me to fill some hole within
You choose 
to forget yourself
You choose 
to isolate
wall off and hide

I don't know 
what makes you run so far from the good
I don't know 
what makes you despair so
I don't know 
what lured you away 
and broke your heart
broke your spirit
broke your connection to me
to all that is
to yourself

I am and have always been here
My heart breaks to see you this way
to know I cannot fix this thing in you
without your help

You must choose to face it
to feel it 
to hope for something you have lost hope for

But instead
you choose 
to stay on this other path
demonstrating what you really want
demonstrating what you will kill 
and die for
time and again

I will not wait anymore
I will not allow death and despair into my heart and home
I will no longer welcome you to the tender places 
the delicate places 
the sacred places
the places of wonder and mystery

What you have brought to me 
I will return to you
What you have planted 
I will let you reap
What you have made toxic 
I will let you drink and eat from 
What you have despoiled
I will let you dwell in it
What you have killed 
I will let haunt you

I will not reach through the fog to pull you out

If you choose to come home to stay
you must prove your worth
for I cannot trust your words

You must show me the sacrifices you are willing to make 
Offer them to me in thought, action, prayer, flesh and spirit
Show me
again and again
and then again
Maybe I will listen

But until then
you will be left to your own devices 

I will wait 
and watch
with a broken heart
as all that you have betrayed 
turns against you 
As all that cared for you
now brings pain and suffering
As all that you have hunted
hunts you
As all that you have held dear
is rent from your grasp
As every path 
leads to a dead end
to a pit
to a place of darkness and despair

as your beloved are clear cut before you 
as your relatives are strip mined
as your breath and body is poisoned
as you are shunned by all of creation

Your ears will hear no song
You tongue will taste no sweetness
You bodies find no softness
Your hearts will find no reflection
Your ancestors will have no place to rest
Your spirits will cry and cry and cry
in the deep silence of the life you have created

We will leave you alone
all alone
so you can be
sovereign
independent
free

And we shall see how you fare
without us

Goodbye
my child

What if the earth was vengeful
What if she chose to rage against us all

Let us bow down deeply
in thanks and gratitude
Let us bow down deeply
that she still loves us
Let us bow down deeply
again and again
and again