how long before the forests become a barren land how long before the ocean turn into salt and sand how long before the rivers flow into emptiness how long before the eagle has no place to rest how long before the sky blue becomes a darkened haze how long before mother nature forgets her natural ways how long before the dolphin's cries are silenced in the deep how long before a nation awakens from its sleep Papa can You hear me I need Your Spirit near me if we could journey back in time knowing what we've left behind would we I walked along the shoreline and saw the blackened beach I knelt beside seagull, tattered, torn and weak I looked out to the ocean as tears fell from my eyes wondered what we'll tolerate before we realize Papa can You hear me I need Your Spirit near me if we could journey back in time knowing what we've left behind would we Papa can You hear me I need Your Spirit near me when I look into the children's eyes I pray that time is on their side the sequence has begun You know the damage has been done is this the point of no return