When did the wind change? The scales, when did they shift?
When did we become comfortable, so comfortable with all of this?
When did it become so typical, to show another’s soul unrest?
When did it become acceptable, to place our lives above the rest?
Yes, when did we become, so sure this earth was here for us?
Anointing ourselves the leaders, hurting those who held our trust.
When did we fervently insist, to be the fairest of them all?
Whilst we slay down every beast, smiling boldly as they fall.
Was it greed and power, we had hoped to find?
Was it selfish, hollow, victory, that kept us all so blind?
Numb and un-a tune, to the World that beats and bleeds,
An earth, life all around, animals large and small, right to the seeds.
To take the lives so easily, with little to no regard,
That this soul belonged here too, is this idea truly all that hard?
Truly that hard to grasp, that the creatures have their place?
Made with instincts and glory, could we dare look them in the face?
To stare in the eyes of a mother, whose cub we have just slain,
All for selfish reasons, I wonder if she spoke, what would she dare to say?
Yes, would we stand so proud, If the fight was truly fair?
Would we be so brave, unarmed in front of that bear?
Who wants nothing more than to return, to his home, all that he knows,
But we have so decided, to intervene and play our role.
A role so long and bloody, it has bled into generations unseen,
Like a poison in the night, to steal things horrifically.
A virus left on the run, consuming all in her path,
Till every natural beauty, dangerously wiped out amongst the wrath.
Yes, when did this become so normal, that we film before we act?
That we take before we ask? that we claim ‘matter of fact’?
For nature, she cries real blood, tears for those unseen,
Tears for those who loved her, tears for her children, we wiped out clean.
So tell me powerful ones, when will it be enough?
When will we ‘er’ decide, that we are big, brave, and tough?
When will we no longer need, to place all lives beneath our own?
When will we have enough glory, to sit there on our thrown.
To sit there and reflect, on the mass casualty of life,
That we stole without consent, when will we pay the price?
And when that day does come, will we shed a tear?
Will we look around and wonder, why the air is so unclear?
Will we wonder why the birds don’t sing? Why the deer, she runs no more?
Will we wonder why the water, no longer cleans our deepest sore?
Old wounds that can not be healed, some debts can not be back-traced,
Some wrongs they weigh too heavy, for even nature to show some grace.
Written by K.S.D’arcy
Be The Voice, by Martin Meyer
Ambassador and Wildlife photographer for Wildlife Tomorrow Fund
“Today, I stood speechless…
Knowing what I was there to do but feeling weak because of what was done…
I was here to document the treatment of a rhino with the name Luke. He sustained a gunshot wound from a poacher trying to take his life to feed the greed of the world we live in. (Sadly, two others, Reine and her daughter Maggie did not escape the hands of greed on that dark night…)
The last few days, I was struggling to think how I was going to share this with you since I usually try and share the magic (beauty) of nature with you instead of the brutal reality that is so often silently just swept away…
I thought about the people, what would they say?
I thought about the animals, what would they say…?
So this is me using my little voice and the little I have trying to shout a message to a much bigger world that needs to hear…
Looking at the expression of concern and love on the faces of the people while the treatment was done and waiting for Luke to wake up.. Only one question pops to my mind…
ARE YOU BEING THEIR VOICE…???
Please use your voice.
Thank you to Wildlife Tomorrow fund for trusting me enough to go and capture these images and their generous donor who used what they have to make the treatment possible.
Thank you to the Nkombi Volunteer Programme and Endangered Rhino, who are consistently putting their lives on hold to make these animals part of their story.
Thank you to the heroes doing the work on the day from Rhino 911 and Gerhardus Scheepers.
Thank you to the Dude Perfect team for also getting involved and using their voice to create awareness.
I honestly hope these images say what needs to be said so more eyes can see what crisis not only Africa is facing (it’s not just an African problem) but the World we live in is facing!”
Pictures by South Africa | Wildlife
Instagram – martinmeyer_wild