by Emma Davis, Columba College

We cried ourselves kings.

We evolved quickly, trading in speed 'n' braun fur brains. We stormed in 'n', wur quick tae dominate.
Aw bowed afore us; th' animals, th' land, th' elements.
The earth caved at oor command 'n' th' harsh environment wis na match fur us.

Fire, a raur possession, became oor pet. We teuk whit we wanted 'n' left naethin' in return. We broke th' land 'n' bulf an empire oan th' rubble.

The scars wur oor treasury.
The poison wis oor energy.
The ashes wur oor weaponry.

The extinctions wur a coincidence.
The gases wur an accident.
The warming wasn't oor problem.

Then mither earth awoke, sending airmie efter army.
Waves stole oor land.
Fires invaded oor farms.
Quakes shattered oor communities.
We wur breakin'.

Wee by wee oor kingdom fell.
Mother earth teuk back her crown.
Everything wis lain tae waste
we wur nae quick enough tae escape it.
No maiter oor braun we cuid nae rammy it.
The earth wis th' sword
and fate wis th' executioner.

The extinctions wur oor scars.
The gases became oor poisons.
The warming created oor ashes.

And we cried ourselves kings.