we travelled the oceans and tamed the land,
fought those who stood against us,
in our pursuit of gold
planted the soil to make it our own

we dammed rivers and felled the woods
tamed all the wildernesses
brought animals to the yoke

by the brilliance of single minds
and the sweat of our brows
we invented our brave new world

our minds took us to the stars
circled the moon, explored the depths
tinkered with the meaning of life

for most of us now
there's nowhere to go
and we have little to do
except wait and think

no more worlds to conquer
no more hills to climb
no more fields to sow or plough
and all we can do is watch now
as the glacier
melts drip by drip and
seas rise drop by drop
and land burns flame by flame
and tree by tree

we forged these chains
and there is no going back
no space to move into
obsolete for the task
mind and body
and even with so many tongues
language is becoming defunct

now we sweat quietly
waiting for the end
bawling at each other
wondering what on earth
to do with ourselves
only remembering
how neat the nests
of the dinosaurs were
and how beautiful the warmth of the sun