Oh, rivers who fed my roots Oh, soil that held firm my roots Forgive the builders of rails and interstates. Bless the first nations, the ones who labor May old waters flow freely, crops grow cleanly. Prayer for a Home Place Oh, rivers who fed my roots shad highways loon waterbeds conveyors of coal and factory sludge bearers of kayaks and pesticides connectors and dividers Named by the Delaware, Onondaga, Lenni Lenape Renamed by the Germans, Dutch, English Ga\u2019-wa-no-wa\u2019na-neh Gehunda, Susquehanna, great island river Lechauwekink, Lehigh, where there are forks Manayunk, … Continue reading Gail Thomas<\/span>
\nshad highways<\/span>
\nloon waterbeds<\/span>
\nconveyors of coal and factory sludge<\/span>
\nbearers of kayaks and pesticides<\/span>
\nconnectors and dividers<\/span>
\nNamed by the Delaware, Onondaga, Lenni Lenape
\nRenamed by the Germans, Dutch, English
\nGa\u2019-wa-no-wa\u2019na-neh Gehunda, Susquehanna, great island river<\/em><\/span>
\nLechauwekink, Lehigh, where there are forks<\/em><\/span>
\nManayunk, Schuylkill, where we go to drink<\/em><\/span>
\nLackawanna, stream that forks<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
\nPocono, a river between two mountains<\/em><\/span>
\nCatasaqua, thirsty earth<\/em><\/span>
\nHockendauqua, searching for land<\/em><\/span>
\nCoplay, even running stream<\/em><\/span>
\nMaxatawny, bear path stream<\/em><\/span>
\nKittatinny, endless mountains<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
\nForgive the billboards, industrial parks and subdivisions.
\nForgive the tired ghosts of miners, steel workers and farmers.
\nForgive those of us who left without cleaning up our messes.<\/p>\n
\nto restore each child, the eagles and trout,
\nto recover each stream and strip of green.<\/p>\n
\nMay you be sanctuary to all who hunger and thirst
\nfor home without dams, without walls.<\/p>\n