A poem by Gus Speth

The following is a poem by James Gustave "Gus" Speth. He's a lawyer, former dean of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and he was a Counselor to president Bill Clinton. He is an environmental advocate and has inspired many activists and ecological thinkers. He wrote this poem called "A New Consciousness" and I find it very concise and fitting. Here it is:

"Decades of discourse
led by people like me
lawyers, scientists, economists,
and we are stuck.
They can’t do what must be done:
reach the human heart.

The deep problems are
avarice, arrogance and apathy,
dominant values badly astray.
What we need is not more analysis
but a spiritual awakening to a new consciousness.

So let’s bring on the preachers and prophets!
the poets and philosophers!
the psychologists and psychiatrists!
Let’s bring on the writers, musicians, actors, artists!
Call them to strike the chords of our shared humanity,
of our close kin to wild things!"