the curtains have closed, a red ragged rose
no blue shall blossom 'neath tripartite cloves
yet:
breathe defiance, you lovers fine
drink of lions, gold become wine

courage your teeth, spite your bright bite
I say to thee: "Fight loathsome blights."
say no to the ills, to the negative thrills
become a dragon, a summit beyond hills
embody the action, the will to do
become better than good, a much better you

spark hope in your heart, spark humour in theirs
coax warmth from the coals of the once debonair
and throughout it all, never doubt what can be
a world evergreen, a finally clean sea

defeat is not death, for love lives beyond
in the eyes of the mother, the sister, the sun.