In Our Talons

And the warblers sing: deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet!
And the sparrows sing: deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet!
Through the wheels, through the wheels on the interstate,
And hear no refrain.

And the beetles creep (deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet!)
On the crippled trees, (deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet!)
And they look down to where the soil must have been, wondering.

And no, you're not alone. No, my cousins, you're not alone.
You're in our talons now, and we're never letting go.

And the branches bend (deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet!)
To the growing sea. (deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet-deet!)
And they ask, and they ask it to spread their seeds,
For they know they're drowning.

And no, you're not alone. No, my cousins, you're not alone.
You're in our talons now, and we're never letting go.
You're in our headlights, frozen, and no, we're not stopping.
You may not believe, but even we were scared at first.
It takes a lot of nerve to destroy this wondrous earth.
We're only human; this at least we've learned.