Promissory Note. Poem by Buddy Bee Anthony

Mother Earth is sacred ground.
The land that all of our grandfather's
father's lived and died to protect.
Ages before erecting courts of law
Many bled and died upon contested lands
Promises, compromise settlement
agreements between peoples to live together
in peace, were made,
but too many were broken.
Treaties hammered from, blood oath sacrifice.
these treaties, made between Sovereign nations
Solemn, promises which must be honored.
not casually broken.
Wise men and women of all tribes have realized
we must protect Mother Earth.
Still there are dirty tricks
and back door deals
being rubber stamped
in favor of narrow special interest
for short term gain, carrying with
them long term harmful
environmental consequences for us all.

Fracking is an
ecological disaster
poisoning our ground water.
Oil drilling causes pollution
Doing immeasurable damage.
to our oceans and top soils.
There's danger of igniting firestorms
transporting, noxious, flammables
in the manufacture of petrol.
These and other compounds are
too dangerous to all life
toxic to our air, water and land.

Native people
the stewards of this land
Are our first line of defense.
But all of us must, send out the alarm
because it's not just a fight for Native rights on
Native lands
but a fight for the survival for us all.
Judges in high courts have begun to understand
all life is interconnected and of unfathomable value
Mother Earth is much more than just
a vehicle for profit
for corporations to expand market shares.
Alliances must be forged
with an eye out for our entire carbon
footprint while we are here.
If not now, when is
it time for not just environmentalists
but scientists to speak out and
taking counter measures
to this wholesale destruction.

Too much is at stake
to continue to
take the short term view..
disregarding our living connection
to Mother Earth
Legal sleight of hand
has transformed corporations into people.
How silly we are when profits at stake.
It's past time to
protect our planet.
To honor solemn promises
hammered out long ago
with our first nation people.
Promises to protect against
us all from earth's desecration.
We are all living
on sacred earthly ground.
We must care better for our air, waters and lands
To remain vigilant watchdogs and when necessary
sound the alarm, as witnesses.
Be forever mindful, as stewards
of the one planet we all share
There isn't a spare.
Allow our Native brothers and sisters to
keep fulfilling their worthy promises
treaties made
with an oath to
honor and protect
our land, air, and water.
Taking care to protect and watch over
life sustaining waterways, streams, lakes and rivers.
Assuring clean drinking water bubbling up from the ground.
Mother Earth is urgently crying out for our help.
Think long and hard before soiling this precious legacy.
It's the legacy our ancestors left to all of us
and we must not violate that legacy.
Everyone must join the fight for better
Everyone must do their part.
for the sake of all our descendants.
and all life
here on Mother Earth.



All publishing and editing rights reserved 'as is' by this author

Buddy Bee Anthony