River Bed

Long and winding was once this river,
Leaving its mark in the earth.
Once lush with life, and beauty
Gone now, is its mirth.
 

To look away is to forget,
The damage we have done.
Long gone is the river,
Nothing left to tickle the sun.
 

Gone now is the fish,
The birds and the animals too.
No longer sustained by their home,
Slowly they withdrew.
 

Soon there will be nothing left,
Of the beauty given to us.
We have the ability to change it,
But no one makes a fuss.
 

So another river disappears,
Just like the ones before,
Gone is the life and beauty,
Gone are the dancing shores.
 

April Bowering-Chesworth
(C) 2000