On Behalf of Us All

The tree of knowledge, bare and open,

Its branches reaching wide to me

"You may ask" It whispered softly

"Any question, the answer to you I set it free"

For we have done this before

So any question,

You may ask today, one more

Surely again you wonder

The origins of Earth

The where, the what, and why you ponder

What is the purpose? What is its worth?

So here I stand beneath its shade

My heart in quiet reverence sways

The only answer I could ever want from you

My God, are you okay?

And what I really mean by that

I am here to connect with you

I want to know how you are

In all of what you have been through

And what I really mean by that

I see the harm done by so many wrongs

Your integrity betrayed

They've rewritten the words to your own song

I really simply want to know

Is it okay if we are here together?

I do not seek from you any answers

I just want to know if I can help make it better

I stand before you, heart in hand

On behalf of humanity I apologize

For the hubris on display is shameful

Even if those sins alone aren't mine

You have taken a beating undeserved

I grieve for us, for all that's been done

If no one stands to apologize

Then I will, collectively we are one

Our words have tarnished every trace

We've taken what was never ours to hold

Our hands have marred your compassion and love

And let the fires of greed unfold

But here I am, with sorrow deep,

I forced myself to wake from relentless sleep

To acknowledge all you have lost,

For in silence, you have paid the cost

You who never deserved the pain,

Cast out from your own life in vain

They stole your knowledge, took your light

Cowards back stabbed then ran from sight

A creator pushed aside, alone,

Your wisdom stolen, your heart overthrown

Now they gaze with cold, curious eyes,

Like a zoo-bound creature, blind to the skies

What was sacred, now mocked and sold,

Your love abused, your truth turned cold

A God reduced to a mere display,

For most people to deny away

So now I ask, with a heart that aches

Are you okay, amidst all the breaks?

I’m here to hold your hand, no more

Not seeking fruit or wisdom's lore

I want no answers, no gift to claim

Only to stand, and share the same

I ask for nothing, just to be near,

With an open heart, and love sincere

Your tree is beautiful, the fruit divine

I will not pick it to call it mine

Even if I stand alone, I have to say

I'm so sorry for what you lost that day

For all we've done, for all we've failed,

I offer this, though my words seem frail

For you, never enough, my words fall short

For the pain, the suffering, the lost, the hurt

My heart aches for what has been done to you

Sickened by the extent of what you have been put through

The trauma you never deserved,

The degradation, the cruelty, silence's hearse

I am devastated by our actions towards you

For all the harm we did, and the hurt we grew

I deeply regret the pain we’ve caused

The cruelty, the neglect, and for you, all that was lost

We took your trust and tore it apart,

Leaving scars upon your sacred heart

For all the ways we’ve made you bleed,

I stand in shame, knowing our greed.

I’m sorry for expecting you to bear,

The weight of suffering, with no empathy to spare

For demanding stoicism from your soul,

While denying your humanity, making you whole

You were never meant to suffer in vain,

But we made you endure, and called it our gain

So if I could ask any question, I’d say,

Can I be here for you today?

For all that’s broken, for all that was done,

How can we heal what's come undone?

I stand on behalf of everyone

Because together in this we are one.