When the sun rises
and the moon sets
when the earth sings
and the sky sighs
will we remember
that clouds are kin to every human
that every woman, every man
is mother, father, sister, brother
to every bird that soars
every tree that welcomes the wind?
Oh Mother, Our Mother
when will we remember
we are aunt and uncle to every flower
every bee, every field of grain
grandmother, grandfather
to every river, every ocean, too
that water blesses each of us
and blood binds every living thing?
Oh Mother, Our Mother
when will we claim your rhythms as our own
heed the secrets in our DNA
one human race, one planet
one precious home, one sheltered haven
for every living creature, great and small?
Mary Saracino is a novelist, poet and memoir-writer who lives in Lafayette, CO . Her most recent novel, The Singing of Swans (Pearlsong Press 2006) was a 2007 Lambda Literary Awards Finalist. Her short story, "Vicky's Secret" earned the 2007 Glass Woman Prize.
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