Birth Rights

A look at our certain future!

Granddaughter Payton

Wheat fields wave across the meadow

bright yellow 'neath a sky of blue

Beautiful swaths of sun bleached straw

cut down long before their due

So like the children of our city

colored yellow, red, brown and gold

Living out their lives in dog years

struck down long before they're old

This sickness flows through our land

leaving the helpless and despaired

Where all are made to be thrown out

none are saved or even repaired

When the silent spring finally comes

and all the birds are in a museum

We'll sell our birthright for a song

so children can pay to see them

Then all the beauty will be gone

as our grandchildren run out to play

Not under blue or 'cross the green

but in the trash from yesterday

Written August 13, 2009

All rights reserved

Author's Note

At the rate we are going we are sadly destined as a race for a dry, dusty, polluted, future. Devoid of beauty, music, children or hope!.

Reviews

[AprilRN1210]

you are by far, one of the most talented writers I have had the pleasure to meet.. I absolutely love this.. I love the picture, the font, color, the message, the flow, the rhythm, the imagery, each carefully selected word.. It feels light and hopeful and yet at the same time like a harsh wake up call.. nice job as always..

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you April I smiled upon reading that and felt I had accomplished what I set out to do.I am humbled and honored.

[AprilRN1210]

I am glad I could make you smile.. Your poetry always makes me FEEL.. I love the depth of emotion in which you write your meaningful pieces.. you always walk away feeling like you learned something or experienced something worthwhile... I would say it was a home run with this one sir.. You are more than welcome, my friend.. It is I, who is honored.. :)

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you my friend.

[AprilRN1210]

anytime.. I love reading your work... It is my pleasure..

[Norma M Sutton]

Imagery is perfect as usual for you :)

[Tate Morgan]

Hi Norma nice to see you again thank you so much I appreciate that

[Ashley Griffiths]

This is a very powerful piece that captures the modern way of living. Great imagery and flow through.

[Tate Morgan]

thank you very much ashley

[Mary C]

A beautiful poem. Reading it made my heart soar.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you While you are much younger than I I bet you still remember a better place than we live in mow

[Tai Ryens]

Intriguing concept and an even more enticing way of putting your thoughts into words! I hadn't originally thought of your author's note upon reading the poem and just assumed you wrote of children who grew up too fast, too quickly, only to watch as their grandchildren emerged seemingly from out of the blue while the children you spoke of first are colored yellow. A metaphor, perhaps, for the changing youth so differentiated from the ancestors that they're utterly unrecognizable.

Truly a lovely piece to have read. Keep it up.

[Tate Morgan]

I do not use metaphors very often But you can always find the truth in my authors notes thank you

[Sophy Freebirds]

This is a powerful piece..It holds an appeal which calls out to me.The degradation of the world is heart wrenching.I am a student of environmental science and not only that i have passion for our nature.And its pathetic how we human race are oblivious to the rotting state of it.I love the message of this poem it is high time "to protect or perish".I liked the depiction of three phases how you've portrayed nature first as a youngster,second as a parent or in middle age,and third as a grandparent interwoven with the gradual decay in our society.

~Sophy

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you I am sorry to have to show this mirror to my friends. it is an ugly picture of humanities soul

[Sophy Freebirds]

No matter how ugly it is.we need to work for improvement.You have taken a brave step ahead. Good luck. :)

[Tate Morgan]

I have resigned myself to the thought that there is no winning this one sadly Sadly I report the passing of the human race by their own hand

[Sophy Freebirds]

We are a stubborn race.. and one person can make a difference.We can't save the whole world,true.But we can make a small change in the scenario.Take heart. :) you gave up,okay.Not me,hope i am not disillusioned.

[Butch Decatoria]

Let's hope that does not happen, great rhyme rhythm flow... Odd title when our birth right is paradise, maybe that's what you meant, great piece of writing... Thank you.

[Tate Morgan]

Hi man I am afraid it seems inevitable as the rate we are going. I can hardly recognize the society we once were in the eyes of the society we have become

[joshua deathdealer]

My thoughts went to the lines of addicted youths I've seen at the methadone clinics, standing there like antsy ghosts. To the burnt out girls I've spoke with, holding their signs at the intersections. To the senseless violence and loss of life that the newspapers tell of every morning.

When I was a teen it was bad yes but these things have tripled and I spend a lot of time thinking about where humanity will be when my daughter, nephews and nieces grow older. Like you I see no help in sight. No great recovery or instant revival, only certain decay. And it sickens me.

This is a powerful poem Tate. Well done.

[Tate Morgan]

It was so much better in the 60s so much cleaner hopeful beautiful no hope in sight thank you

[Coyote Poetry]

"We'll sell our birthright for a song
so children can pay to see them"
Your words true and real. What will we leave for our kids? A powerful poem with a message all of us need to listen to. Thank you for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote

[Tate Morgan]

agreed coyote you and i are old enough to see where this is going It doesnt even resemble our childhood We are getting closer to the days when rationing of medicine will allow us to opt out and check out if we like Just like in soylent green .Thank you I dont think i envy those born today over the treasures we all shared and took for granted.

[Coyote Poetry]

We have left little for our kids. They have a mess to clean-up.

[Tate Morgan]

I long for the days of childhood riding carefree in my dad's ragtop drinking Pepsi singing along to the right track

[Roy Mark Azanza Corrale..]

Seeing the world ever changing we are reacting and acting concretely but we are ourselves learn to do its purpose in realizing the path for world that is its original place which is serene, peaceful and full of life which urbanization and technology seemingly forgotten about our planet and leaving legacy to our children of this world.

[Tate Morgan]

Roy thank you the truth of our existence is that we are going to find we do no deserve the blessings of this life

[Roy Mark Azanza Corrales]

it is a gift to see how some part of world are still virgin and full of majesty which must be taken care of in order to see our children of world how majestic is our planet we exist into. it is indeed a blessing to life.

[Rita L. Sev]

What we do to the planet, to nature, to each other... unforgivable. And the irony is that we call it "civilization". Excellent commentary, Tate, and well written.

[Tate Morgan]

I agree rita what we do is selfish and unforgivable