As a girl by herself wandering wantonly within the woods, I was kept company
By animal voices and ancient whispers from the tree canopy

When my bare feet touched warm soil, planted firmly on earth, I was so aware
I was never alone, I belonged to this mystic beauty, and happily had not a care

Yet by the time I was a young woman, ready to journey from my home
The animal voices, many were going quiet it was well known

Our overpopulated and ever multiplying numbers, an occupying parasite upon our host
With all of us competing to see how much can we take, who can own the most

Now as a woman grown I see the steep price of our poison, the rivers and trees, dying
The message and pursuit of never ending consumption, is those that are lost, lying

I find myself plagued by immeasurable sadness, surrounded by the ghosts that were
Vast doom and destruction I know we are owed for sure

To read more of Stephanie Corkran's poem, please click here.