People who believe
War is unavoidable
Inevitably cause
Ongoing strife
Even thought it’s
Been demonstrated
Innumerable times
That human beings have
An infinite ability
To behave with
Kindness and compassion.
A seed blows in
From some unseen
Place and finds a
Spot where it’s needed.
A little time passes,
Peace and love
Bloom everywhere.
Paul sat with his grandson
Looking through a faded
Album filled with memories of
A time when people believed
That the world could be different,
Where human beings collaborated
To build a fair society,
A dream that never dimmed,
No matter how loudly the
Voices of conventionality and
Oppression tried to impose
Their unwavering malaise.
Though many years had passed,
He still felt the call of
Peace, love, hope, compassion,
The everlasting dream.
You can tell me that
Peace is not possible,
But I know otherwise,
Because, every single day,
I see people loving each other,
Co-existing harmoniously,
Giving up self to help
A stranger in need,
Someone other than them who
Might benefit from a
Word of kindness,
A gesture of solidarity.
So, if peace is not possible,
I say that’s most likely
Only inside you,
A reality, thankfully,
That can be changed today
Should you so desire.
Perpetual war keeping
People transfixed on
Existential questions
Instead of rationality.
The dull hum of constant
Death and destruction,
Lives obliterated over
Unsettled matters.
Of course it doesn’t
Have to be like this,
Healing being a far more
Desirable outcome.
Every single person
Matters.
No one is more
Important or valuable.
Each human being
Has a unique set of gifts.
We all deserve to be
Treated with kindness.
Everyone can shine
If allowed to.
We don’t have to compete
Against one another.
We’re all in this
Together.
Brutally abused as a
Child, deprived of even
The most basic security,
She comes of age
Tempted to follow the
Same path, plenty of
People around more than eager to
Help her fulfill that prospect.
She looks inward,
Realizing that there still
Shines at her core a
Beautiful jewel drawing
Its resplendence from compassion
Rather than self-loathing,
Courage instead of fear,
Peace over anger.
It’s only in later years
That she begins to process and
Comprehend what happened
To her and how she took her
Pain and bid it goodbye,
Chose not to perpetuate the hurt,
Decided that her destiny
Was to spread love.
Human beings regularly
Show extraordinary altruism,
Helping each other in
Times of desperation,
Supporting one another
Without expectation of
Personal gain, building
Caring bonds across social
And cultural lines.
Former strangers become
Close friends through
Gestures of kindness.
It’s been proven over and over
That people don’t have to fight,
That they can share resources
Rather than compete,
Transcend greed and coexist
In peace and harmony,
As long as they don’t heed
Those who have something to
Gain from perpetual discord.
Profiting
From war doesn’t
Lead to conciliation.
Bellicose
Words don’t
Invite dialogue.
Suspicion and
Hatred don’t
Bring us together.
Peace
Is
Possible.
We just
Need to
Practice it.
