heed well our prayer before you harm us.
We are the fuel for your fires on cold nights,
the friendly shade protecting you from the fierce sun;
and our fruits are refreshment to quench your thirst
and cheer you as you journey onwards.
We are the rafters of your roofs, boards of your tables and bodies of your boats,
the seats of your stools and the boards of your beds.
We are the handles of your hoes, the gates of your homes,
the wood of your cradles and the shells of your coffins.
We are the saviors of your soil from loss by rain and wind,
and to your soil we give richness and life for the benefit of all mankind.
We are the bread of kindness and the flower of beauty.
You who pass us by listen to our prayer and harm us not.
Anonymous