When war killed the land and the people were slain,
and governments raged, then I heard this refrain:
“It’s only a natural cycle.”

When economists saw how their ways harmed the weak,
from the left to the right I could hear them all speak:
“It’s only a natural cycle.”

When blacks by the millions were brought here in ships,
then planters grew rich, with this song on their lips:
“It’s only a natural cycle.”

When babies were slain at the prenatal stage,
those who justified said, sometimes in a rage:
“It’s only a natural cycle.”

When human pollution spread death all around
then the status-quo folks raised again the old sound:
“It’s only a natural cycle.”

When weather broke loose from its normal constraints
once again people said to the growing complaints:
“It’s only a natural cycle.”

If our children survive and condemn their forebears
for the shortsighted ways we pursued unawares
and the suffering and death and avoidable pain,
how hollow and sad then will seem the refrain:
“It was only a natural cycle.”