Clayoquot Sound

Earth sky forest cedar bark big trees
Eagles bears wolves live well here
rain endless rain damp soaking wet
moss deep smelling scented forest
silent standing years pass you by
pure great green eminence of life
everything is humming in one note
harmony great green magnificent

Clanging metal doors locked in
arms wrists bounded by clamps
freedom denied now by the law
prison cells metal toilet seats
Guards in uniform indifferent
the day grind in a metal world

eagle calling out swooping up
bear foraging natural world
wolves showing themselves now
oh breathe in the memory of
rain dripping through boughs
sweet scented rainforest time

Sheriffs boots shone all clean
fake perfume on a cheap whore
handcuffing terrified civilians
endless orders without reason
Locked up in empty metal cells
confined in windowless rooms
jeered taunted verbally abused
physically abused in hallways

Grinding geared logging trucks
carrying off ancient cedar trees
cut down in their prime of life
bear runs fearfully from his den
eagle cries as trees fall heavy
bigger than you can ever imagine
sad to see them lying down now
when they stood so tall so grand
wolves howl for their grandmother
Chainsaws don't care about life

Judge sits above the court staring
six months in jail he utters after
seeing bear swim under the bridge
six months in maximum security jail
the small plane flies me handcuffed
to Vancouver Airport then paraded
across the departure lounge people
close their eyes rather than see
a woman in handcuffs guarded by
a sheriff in a brown slick uniform

Mountain side bare of all life
nothing will grow here again
eagle bear wolf just a picture
in a library book doubted now
a far distant memory of freedom
locked in a school like jail
freedom denied by old man judge
will I haunt his dreams forever
cold clean crystal fountain stream