No diamond jewel could compare
To the worth of a raindrop in summer.
No emerald or ruby could compare
To the brilliant hues of a hummingbird.
No opal gemstone could compare
To the snowy feathers of an egret.
For all they take a million years to make,
These things of rock and metal make
Some forget nature’s living creatures.
What diamond dropped from the sky
Could make a trillion living things grow?
What emerald or ruby could defy
The laws of science and fly?
What opal shaped to feather mimicry
Could cloak in warmth a living being?
Why do we so value these things of rock and metal,
But heedlessly cause other living things to die?
ISABEL NEE 