"We Were Stolen"

Tanaya Winder

We Were Stolen

One day when we're all gone

and you think we've disappeared.

 

You'll realize we were stolen. The earth

will continue to split herself open in mourning.

 

The morning sun will no longer rise because you failed

to protect those who are so powerful they're in sync with the moon.

 

And soon, hurricane, tsunami high waves will cover the land

in the water you didn't care to protect because

 

you thought oil was more precious than life.

Our Mother will shake in her wailed grieving so hard 

 

to stir you from complacency. Pipelines will break

and the fractured sites will turn flame

 

as Mother Earth sets herself on fire.

And as you're being swallowed whole

 

you'll wish you paid more attention, wish you listened,

wish you believed, wish you protected

 

instead of abused or misused us.

Don't just bear witness at rallies or see us in headlines

 

that declare "missing" then "body found" then "murdered"

and then claim that you'll protect us.

 

See us when we're alive

not just when we go missing, get stolen, and murdered.

 

Remember that we are real, we are worthy, and

we deserve to be seen with each beat our hearts take,

 

each beat our hearts make

as we continue to birth revolutions.

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