Hymn for a Dying Planet

Dear Lord and Father, I repent

of years I did betray

the beauty of this world you've lent,

nor held it safe for your advent,

but watched its slow decay.

In mankind's sin, we broke this Earth

and poisoned what You made.

With each lost species' squandered worth,

we've multiplied our guilty dearth

of wisdom we've obeyed.

If it be true that you redeem

a sinner such as me,

I pray for Earth a new regime

to raise it back to health supreme,

to all that it can be.

Oh, let me play my part in this,

to make your world more pure.

I'll help repair what's now amiss,

from mountaintop to deep abyss.

Make me part of your cure.

Amen!

Copyright ©2018, Paul H. Harder II

This poem is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 License.

This poem can be sung to the same tune as “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind” – but I would be pleased if some bright composer were to make a whole new tune for it.

The photo is mine, from the Canadian Rockies.

Action in the Political Imperfect Tense

One thing that separates us from them

is that we play by recognized rules.

Consequently, we have a problem,

for they think that norms are but for fools.

Our governance system, of noble craft,

in practice, has a few leaky bulwarks:

Many win office through lying and graft.

Many, elected, turn out to be jerks.

The only protection offered to us

is to attend to, not what they say,

but things they actually do -- unless

you'd rather snooze, so they get their way

Copyright ©2018, Paul H. Harder II

This poem is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 License.

Majesty

Folks here in the Canadian Rockies

will tell you that they are ruled by

Her Majesty, the Queen.

But, on this vacation,

I have seen true majesty.

He stands erect and tall,

white head crowned with cloud,

snowy mane blowing free,

brawny arms holding

bighorn sheep, moose, chipmunks,

bears, cougars, and wolves.

He wears a kilt of multihued green

and dips his toes

in purest glacial streams.

Copyright ©2018, Paul H. Harder II

This poem is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 License.

Composed during a wonderful vacation to the Banff and Jasper National Parks, in Alberta, Canada; with Kathleen, Niki, Brayden, and Cameron.