LETTER TO A FUTURE GENERATION

To tomorrow's child,

 

On behalf of myself and my partners

in greed, I hope these words will find you,

and with them my condolences.

 

The trees are probably not answering you

with a rustle – instead their bare finger

retraces with soot

the mark on your forehead;

 

only the bones of lamb and lion reply

to every step in the leather shoes

you inherited. You'll walk roads bristling

at you and you'll surely wonder why.

 

I presume the ravine is begging for your tears

to feel again its lover’s flow,

and every shore is holding

its breath – dive and tell them

 

no dove will come this time.

You must be asking the world for forgiveness

for whatever it is you've done – well so am I,

from the world and from you.