O, Ancient Rulers of the Earth Poem by Walter Wykes

I.
O, ancient rulers of the Earth,
O, race of mighty warriors,
O, evolutionary giants,

I sing your praise.

You were powerful creatures of incredible diversity.

Elaborate skeletal modifications.
Numerous adaptations for social interaction.
(No Facebook, though.)
Elevated metabolism.

You were formidable foes.
Savage in battle.
Unforgiving to your enemies.

Even the shadow that remains of you is terrifying.
II.
You ruled by strength.
By force of will.
By blood.

You defended your own.
You traveled in packs.
You built nests.

You were predators.
III.
Before my people walked this ground,
You walked it.

Before my people claimed this earth,
You did the same.

Our land was your land.
Our ocean was your ocean.
Our sky was your sky.
IV.
My people follow in your footsteps.

We seek to rule the Earth by force of will.

To feed ourselves on its fruits.
To subserviate its needs to our own.

We will remake this planet. This world. In our image.
V.
Your eyes are vacant.
Great black holes.
Empty.

A reminder of your fate.

I shudder before the husk that remains.
The still murmur of your greatness.

(You've got a lot of teeth, you know.
It's kind of intimidating.)
VI.
I'm sure the extinction event caught you off guard.

Who could have predicted? Right?

For 160 million years,
You survive,
You flourish.

Then bang!
One stray asteroid, and it's all over.

Will men meet the same fate,
O, terrible, powerful, wondrous lizard?

Is extinction the common doom,
O, mighty dinosaur?