BEDTIME STORY

oh grandpapa
tell me a story
what kind of story my dearest one?
tell me of when you were young
when the strange and beautiful animals still lived
oh but that was long ago my child
in the days when your mother
was no older than you are now
when the big white bear walked the ice floes
the fierce crocodile cruised the muddy swamps
the great rhino roamed the plains
the agile orangutan hung from the vines
and the jaguar prowled through the undergrowth
ah yes
that was long ago my dearest
and those animals
have long since vanished from this earth
but why grandpapa?
why did they disappear?
because man was too greedy child
because he was not content with what he needed
because the more he had
the more voracious grew his appetite
and the more he hoarded
till the ice began to melt
the seas began to rise
the mangrove swamps dried up
the trees were all felled
and the plains turned to desert
but grandpapa why did nobody try to stop it?
oh they did my dearest one
they did
but they were overwelmed my powerful forces
they could not fight alone
they were often misled by lies
some were hounded and bullied
or even killed
did you try to stop it grandpapa?
i did my sweet
for i knew that i could never look you in the eye
if i stood by and did nothing
but now let us turn out the light
for the stars are already in the sky
and young heads need their beauty sleep
thank you grandpapa
tonight i will dream
of the strange and beautiful creatures
that are no more
goodnight my princess
goodnight grandpapa