Turtle Island Lullaby
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Music and Lyrics: Rev. Heng Sure
While meditating at Buddha Root Farm, a summer camp in the coastal mountains of Oregon, I witnessed deforestation, “clear-cutting” of the forest. This terrible practice harms the entire ecosystem; the land
can no longer support the myriad species that depend upon it to survive. Humans are a part of the whole; when we level the forest, we tear away the lungs of the planet and destroy our own Earth household.
We sing lullabies to send children to sleep; this song was written to apologize to the eagles, the deer, the salmon, the insects and the trees.
My tall fir trees touched the sky, Where eagles raised their young. Timber wolves would serenade, When sundown’s song was sung; Salmon swam home to their streams, Each year you’d find them there, Redwoods like cathedrals,
Every breath was like a prayer.
Turtle island lullaby,
Song for the end of day.
To ease us into twilight,
And send us on our way.
We are all related,
On this planet that we share. Have we learned any lessons? Small blue marble in the air.
You wasted all my topsoil, You fished my waters dry. You clear cut my green trees, I can’t breathe and I can’t cry. What about your children? How far can you see?
What we do to our neighbors, Becomes our destiny.
Turtle island lullaby,
Song for the end of day.
To ease us into twilight,
And send us on our way.
We are all related,
On this planet that we share. Have we learned any lessons? Small blue marble in the air.
Goodnight to the salmon, Goodnight to the seals, Goodnight to the turtles, May your spirits be healed.
No one owns the fire,
No one owns the air.
No one owns the water, The Earth’s a gift to share. Life itself is sacred,
May we all one day be healed. May we find our great compassion, When our kinship is revealed.
Turtle island lullaby,
Song for the end of day.
To ease us into twilight,
And send us on our way.
We are all related,
On this planet that we share. Have we learned any lessons? Small blue marble in the air.