By Sue Pratt, based on "The Lorax" by Dr. Seuss
 
 

At the end of the valley
where the salmon creeks flow,
the wind smells of salt air whenever it blows
and the firs and the oaks continue to grow.
It could have been different as you and I know...
Down on the tidal flats, some people say,
if you look deep enough you can still see today,
where the log dump once stood
just as long as it could...
before all of us sent the Once-lers away.
 
Who were the Once-lers?
And why were they there?
And why didn't they know and why didn't they care
to honour the cycle - of things as they grow?
The old oak is here
ask her.  She'll know.
 
"Now I'll tell you" she says, and her voice sounds so gay...
"How the Once-lers got money and went on their way...
It all started way back...
A long two years in fact...
 
Back on the day when the Once-lers first came
and they brought their big trucks
and they caused us all pain,
and the song of the Granny's rang out into space...
The morning they came to this glorious place.
 
And I saw them cut down
with Buzz-a-Buzz sound
all my friends young and old
down to the ground!
Down they all came,
with a sickening sound!
 
And under the trees, the creatures all scattered
as the cedars and firs rained down in a clatter...
And the Once-lers fat wallets got fatter and fatter.
 
From down in the valley
from the hills and the sea
all the people came running
shouting "How can this be?"
 
But those trees! Those trees
those big old growth trees!
All my life they'd been standing
as strong as you please!
And the species beneath
completed a chain
that existed forever...
til the Once-lers came.
 
I felt a great jolt
that tore at my heart!
But the people stood firm
the saws didn't start!
 
 
In no time at all, they had the road blocked.
They sang to the drivers while they had the trucks stopped.
Some locked to the axles, some danced to a band.
Some campaigned for money to buy back the land.
 
'Look people' they said 'there's no cause for alarm.
We chopped down some trees - we're doing no harm.
We'll follow the codes right down to the letter.
Since those codes can't stop us - things couldn't be better.'
 
'But we're kind and we're fathers - we're great men of reason.
We hear your concerns about forests and seasons.
We hear you go on about endangered species
we hear you all sing about birdies and beasties...'
 
'You have to remember - our business has needs.'
(Their values were skewed by Capitalist creeds)
 
'We'll sell you the land before all is lost.
We'll sell you the land - at five times its cost!'
 
The people said,
'Sirs!  You are crazy with greed.
All the money on Earth
couldn't meet all your needs.'
 
So the people dug deeper, their values were clear.
For Garry Oak meadows are priceless my dear.
They still have each other, they're stronger and bolder.
Burgoyne will live on as the people grow older.
They know, just as sure as the oak meadows flower,
that the strength of their souls is the best kind of power.
 
They smiled at the Once-lers, 'You poor sad, sad guys!
You'll never discover what money CAN'T buy.' "