Substances pass through me
Pulses of energy
Liquid
Air
Food

And I go on
Wondering

What am I doing?
Where am I going?
Why do I live?
Why?

I eat, drink, sleep, wake
Breathe

Breathe

Oxygen in
Carbon dioxide out
In, out
In, out

Even great thinkers
Struggle to answer
Why are we here?

Why am I here?

Food makes me strong
Air keeps me conscious
Water keeps me clean
Sunlight warms me
All very well
But why am I here?
Why am I here?
Why am I here?

I try to remember
That I can give love
Care for others
Change things round

And still
And yet

Air passes through me
Water and food
Sunlight
Starlight
Cosmic rays

And then I recall

What I am

A dancing star
Manifest
For one short lifetime
Only

Child of this earth
Made of all things
That go up to make
The universe

As child of the earth
Should I drain my mother of all life?
Should I not repay her kindness
With work?
With love?

How could I repay
Each fruit tree
Each ocean
Each ray of sun
Each cloud
Each winter chill
Each burning flame
Each tiny seed
Each birth?

With words?

With care?

With work?

With love?

Each bacterium
That keeps me safe

Each system
That keeps me safe

Each being
That keeps me safe

Opens my eyes
And protects my life

The planet
The air
The oceans
The sunlight
The rivers and earth
And all living beings

They are my mother
They are my father

And to them all
I owe everything