Wrong

It's wrong to take someone else's life 
by murder, starvation, or world-strife -
it's wrong to rape this planet, 
we may live here but don't own it -
it's wrong to see on your TV death, destruction, agony
and believe it's got nothing to do with you.

We have disease, we have pollution
we have those who suffer, those who exploit
we have depleting resources and corruption
we have no clean water, no clean air, our heat and light
we generate from an unclean power: we are nuclear
we are dangerous, for our age is waste and war.

Money means nothing when you can't spend it
when the earth is barren and no things grow:
our gold should have ended poverty and drought, 
should have ploughed furrows
in the world's land for our children's food and growth -
instead we counted trees in terms of their financial worth.

We see no beauty, breathe no air, have no dignity 
our empires and edifices are merely empty offices
in the city, filled with humming machines and insipid dignitaries
whose poisoned words, whose handshakes, proffered with a smile 
are worthless, devoid of truth and integrity.

Where did the good people go, with their true and gritty hearts, 
ready to have courage, strive for what is right
to speak out and call a halt to a world's downward slide?
Where are you?  Can you hear?  Did you ever exist?
This is me, calling Britain.  Is it there?

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