Only One

By Ursula T. Gibson

I'm only one,
a single person on this
six billion people Earth,
just one to hold the fort,
only one to care about
the trees, the animals, the people,
the rivers and lakes,
the deserts and the plains,
so that they will survive
our trampling progress,
our wilful destruction,
our careless abuse!
Only one – one voice
to insist upon the value of nature,
to encourage the scientists
who find out how and why things work,
to hear the music musicians create,
to see the art in a child's fingerpainting,
just one, only one, with only one voice's strength.
But if I can persuade, with that lone voice,
others to care, others to see, others to hope,
and others to fight, I won't be just only one;
I'll be millions!

Published May 2006