The Once-ler will tell you of a lifted Lorax.
A Lorax who spoke for the trees
before the evolution of the Once-ler city
built around thneeds.
"A thneed is something everyone needs," said the Once-ler.
"People come flocking for thneeds," said the Once-ler.
Something everyone needs or just thinks they need.
For what is a need? When is it a want?
But the Once-ler is fine, fine with his wants.

His stocks are up 28 percent,
he's unconcerned for the Bar-ba-loots
marching off to find their fruits.
The Swomee-swans choking,
coughing on smog breathëd out by Capitalism.

When the Humming-fish crawled
out of their lake on their knees,
the Lorax could no longer wait.
And to the Once-ler, he marched.
Past the secretary,
and into the office of death and he said,
"This must end."
But the Once-ler wouldn't bend.
And so, the Lorax, who couldn't stay
for the final phase of the massacre,
was lifted up, was lifted through a hole in the smog.
The Lorax was lifted.

And now a boy
listens to the Once-ler tell a tale of the lifted Lorax.
And he sees a small stone enclosed patch of grass marked "Unless." Unless.
A thought about something somebody ought.
The Once-ler throws a seed down and shouts,
"Plant a tree! Please guard it and save it from harm.
And you'll see it grow. Or else this place will stay wasted.
Unless..."