Like Damian Mander all around the night sky (Following the presentation at Sydney University 2013)

Like Damian Mander
all around the night sky
there are candles
tiny sparks of light
that can be seen for many miles
voices speaking up
for other sentient
beings
facing human sacrifice
for what are living styles

the elephant that moved him
with its dear face cut away
the ivory that poachers wanted
it was going to pay
their tax bills and their mortgages
and whatever was their need
and for that whole activity
this sentient soul did bleed

it came as quite a shock
to this ex mercenary
but shock it was
and many candles do
illuminate the night sky
over Africa,India Siberia
all through

some are poets, singers and musicians
Natural History Units everywhere
Vegans, Environmentalists
all candles lighting up the
night sky where despair

was raining from the clouds
down on the universal soul
reading just to sacrifice
and endeavour to control
other sentient beings
who loved who felt who cared
this planet we call earth
where everything is shared

our thanks to Damian Mander
for his vision and his soul
and to all the other candles
who have taken on their role

without all of them
this world would be doomed
instead each spark
lights up a bigger part of the whole