"No one will move,
The dam will not be built!"
Rings out in the air
And it hangs there
Almost tangible before me
A stranger in their midst
One who will move
Who always moves
Regardless of dam building
And the like

"No one will move,
The dam will not be built!"
And they mean it
And it chills me
As the very young and the
very old
call out in unison
without pausing
A threat and a truth
they have proven
chest deep in water
sitting in the houses, their schools
unmoving

"No one will move,
The dam will not be built!"
And I can almost see
the waters coming
a wave giant and colossal
looming above their heads
their homes
their lives
and then
"No one will move,
The dam will not be built!"
And no one moves
And the water recedes
Not entirely
But it does
And it is only visible on the
horizon
and then
When many people
Would run, would give in
Would flee
The water
Distant but looming

They pick up their tools
and build a school
tend their fields
improve their lives
and I realize with a
clarity stronger
than certainty
that no matter
what happens
"No one will move,
The dam will not be built!"