Grandpa Gorman's Cleansing Shower
- chapter 35 -

Are you an Environmentalist or a "Tree Hugger?"

"I think that I shall never see, a poem as lovely as a tree,"
No thinking man would harm a tree or pollinating honey bee.

Polluting earth, the air above, or water that we drink
Is deadly sin by careless folks who do not stop to think.

Three-quarters of this fragile Earth is covered by the sea
The land that grows our food is here - - little more of it can be.

Soaring population - - the biggest problem we face
If not halted quickly, pollution fight's a useless chase.

In Brazil the cities' jobless are shipped to jungle "farm"
Burn-and-slashing forests is doing dreadful harm.

Each day more hungry leave - - westward they come swarming
Too late they find out that jungle soil's not good for farming.

Rain forests burn, and species die: what advice can you be giving,
To starving people trying to scrape out just the barest living?

Be realistic - - long before Man appeared on Mother Earth
Many species disappeared, not too long after birth.

Extinction of some creatures is not new: it's going on right now,
Be more than just a "tree hugger" - - some reasoning please allow.

Address the major problem; as population grows apace
We'll need more land for farms, for roads and living space.

To squeeze more food from shrinking land, they're cutting down the trees.
Can YOU tell them how to live - - in cold, how not to freeze?

No matter how you twist and turn, the problem's still the same,
If trees are cut and species die where can you cast the blame?

When kids are born they have a right, same as you and I
To sustain themselves with food and homes, though spotted owls may die.

So, don't just hug that lovely tree, guaranteeing it will stay
When over population - - the real problem - - just won't go away.

Use your youthful energy to get the message heard
"Be fruitful and multiply" is now starvation's "Word".

Sending food to starving folks; a fine and noble deed
But, it's quite impossible such multitudes to feed.

Unless they practice birth control and fix their politics
They'll starve in multi-millions, in no way we can fix.

Also see the Energy Poem.

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