An American Billboard: a Poem

an American billboard

driving north on rt. 101

pass Gilroy

garlic capitol of the world

wide open spaces

huge irrigated fields of mono crops

campesinos harvesting

talking with andrea 

met when we were 

eighteen

love growing

through 

the years

sudden shock

huge billboard

add for tractor 

sez

“Conquer Your Land”

are you shitting me? 

and yet

there it is

up front

how we got here

control

dominate

no wonder

the problems

the suffering

got it backwards

from what

we once knew

respectful

humble

harmonious

relationship

with the powers

that give life

Sacred Covenant

with Earth

Ocean

Desert

Forest

Mountain

Ancestors

Butterfly

Wind

Fire

Plants 

Praying mantis

still time

though

growing short

purification

cleansing

rebirth

evolution 

growing us

up

to 

higher consciousness

that knows 

truth 

kindness 

love 

that is

for 

giving