Vampire Clan

I fell in love with this poem at a poetry reading some years ago, and set it to music.
The author has given me written permission to use it as I see fit.


Vampire Clan
copyright Louise Bennett Hardin 1995

We are a vampire clan,
sucking blood from the earth,
as if the earth could plan
for infinite vampire births.

Sucking blood from the earth,
some say the land will die,
for infinite vampire births
cannot sustain themselves. Why?

Some say the land will die,
the children have nothing,
and cannot sustain them selves. Why?
Should we take a stand?

The children have nothing,
we take more than we replace.
Should we take a stand,
are we not a human race?

We take more than we replace
as if the earth could plan.
Are we not a human race?
We are a vampire clan