before you

We were here before you

We walked these lands underneath your feet

Back when we still had to hunt

Not this shopping thing you do now

We used to walk and creep

Kill our prey the way it should be, natural

Not this...

The farming of animals

Cut up by machines

Eating is a hobby now

A profession

Rather than a blessing

It's enjoyed, a pleasure

Not an activity of survival...

Credit, not given.

We were here before you

You find us buried under the ground

Under your playgrounds and trailers

You examine our bones

But you can hardly care

You give us new names but

They're not really ours

They're just what you assign us.

We were here before you

But you don't give us credit

This land was ours first

And just because you can't see us

Or you choose not to

Doesn't mean we're not here.

We were here before you

Dinosaurs, really

A creature dehumanized

A sentient being who had to die

In order for you to be here

But why

Why did we have to die?

And why are you still trying to kill us?

Leave us behind.

We were here before you.

And we're still here.

We're not leaving.

I am not sure if this will qualify, but this is a submission to the Vocal Challenge "Poemosaurus Rex" which you can find more information about here:

Edit: In the case that it is not quite clear, this is meant to be a testimony to not only the original inhabitants of the world, but also the original inhabitants of Turtle Island. I strived to create something that could work on multiple levels, and I might create another piece later on that better represents the two angles.

Thank you so much for reading!