“RAIN FOREST,” A POEM
The Amah Mutsun Land Trust seeks to advance indigenous stewardship, which stems directly from the sense of ecological knowledge and kinship held within the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. In her poetry, Elizabeth Rodriguez, age 12, expresses environmental concern as a Mutsun youth.
Rain Forest
Peace and quiet all day long
No sound but rain dripping off leaves
The animals are sleeping
And jaguars are purring
Wake up morning
Our home is almost gone
Cutting down trees
All day long, trees are almost gone,
What are we going to do?
Move to another home?
Now Jaguars
Are purring
And no sound
But the sound of the rain.
–
First published in Discovered: 2013 Poetry Collection by the America Library of Poetry, reprinted with the author and her parent’s permission.