The city is the forest now

The city is the forest now
where birds fly and plants ascend
I rise to birdsong and blooms

Yet our mighty works don't crumble
This is not the afterworld
Not the fall and not a lonely place

At the shoreline where the cities stand
this is a world of teeming billions
who let you be and care and thrive

The mighty rivers flow with song
of beast among the leaves of trees
I smell the scent of after rain

Guiding, merging tender strands
we watch in awe to learn and strive
and even deserts come alive

We share the sun with the green and sow
made, grown and born woven together
Abundance given in abundant joy

The glittering stars above; below
and when at night I see the moon
I know that now it's dotted with domes

The dark years crossed
where much was mourned and lost
until we realized we should, we could

I stand in the quiet park of tiger and rhinoceros
I touch the stone of wistful memory
of who and what is gone; alas, though we made new

This is the Earth; this is my friend
there's time to dance, and build, embrace
and time to look beyond now