On Native Ground

Nobody owns the sunrise, 
The air we breathe,
The ground
Where we plant
And nurture our seeds. 
The ones
Who were here before us 
Believed so.
You can't buy a waterfall, 
A mountain meadow 
Where the yellow
And blue flowers bloom.

Nobody owns
A quiet country road,
A giant seagull
That flies overhead
As the tide comes in,
You can't buy
Fresh morning air,
Being lost in the woods,
A sense of purpose,
Of belonging,
That perfect moment of peace.

You can't stop a river 
From flowing,
The snow from falling, 
The ones
Who were here before us 
Said so.
You can't stop people 
From smiling
Or falling in love.

Nobody owns the sunset,
That special time
When the bright orange disk 
Disappears beyond the horizon 
And the sky
And the sea
Become one.
We don't own the land, 
The oceans, the trees- 
We are the stewards, 
The students,
The teachers,
The guides.
We are the children
Of those who were here 
Before we came.