que the soft pipe ***** music in the background

dearly beloved
we gather here this day
this day
but 24 short hours
we could go into minutes and seconds
but it trivializes the point
ladies and gentlemen
we give this day
to the earth –
sustainer and bringer forth of all life as we know it
have a day.
every breath
each sip of water
any morsel of nourishment
any of us ever had
throughout all of humankind
have a day
the bacteria in our guts
the viruses in our noses
the plants
the fish and fowl
mammals and reptiles
have a day.
a day…….
tomorrow we **** you again
tomorrow we smash your peaks for metals
tomorrow we gouge into you with spikes
        to draw out your very essence
                 for cars
tomorrow we tear away your covering
      your forests and wet lands
              for materialism
tomorrow we **** on you
tomorrow we fight against you
tomorrow we poison you
but, today, we honor you….
have a day,
earth –
later I will walk through your gift
I will smell spring flowers and think of you
forest paths will come alive with your sounds
and I will smile
I will hold you in my hands
breath you in
and shed a tear
over a day….
earth, we thank you
today
earth, we honor you
today
earth we love you
today
earth
today
a day for you –

someone nudge Martha….she’s got her hearing aid down
shut that **** ***** music off ……


listen people,
gather round close
we are running out of time
and the earth
its gonna need a bit more than a day
like, forever
we are going to have to think a little
about sustainability
our place within the larger ecosystem
we can’t survive without earth
we can’t……
won’t you help me? –