Earth Poetry 

Words of spirit, compassion, and love of nature and our Earth

A Farewell Song of White Clouds, by Li Bai
Excerpt: "The white clouds float over the mountains of Chu— Everywhere the white clouds will follow you on."

And My Heart Soars, words of Chief Dan George
Excerpt: "...the thunder of the sky, the rhythm of the sea, speaks to me. And my heart soars."

Earth Our Mother, a Pawnee prayer
Excerpt: Earth our mother, breathe forth life, all night sleeping, now awaking

Ole October, by James Whitcomb Riley
Excerpt: "Ole October is purt' nigh gone, and the frosts is comin' on, little heavier every day"

On Cold Mountain, by Han Shan
Excerpt: "I’ve lived out tens of thousands of years on Cold Mountain."

Teach Your Children, from the words of Chief Seattle
Excerpt:  "This we know, The Earth does not belong to us....we belong to the Earth."

We Have Forgotten Who We Are, from the U.N. Environmental Sabbath Program
Excerpt: "We have forgotten who we are. We have alienated ourselves from the unfolding of the cosmos. We have become estranged from the movements of the earth"

When the Animals Come, by Gary Lawless
Excerpt: When the Animals come to us, asking for our help, will we know what they are saying?

Wild Geese, by Mary Oliver 
Excerpt: "You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees For a hundred miles through the desert repenting."