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Posts Tagged ‘political division’

Fog, Sun, and Hope

Posted in poetry, tagged , , , , , on July 14, 2024| Leave a Comment » 

An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Fog, Sun, and Hope 

Bare, black trees stand out inside a low cloud, fog.
Headlights hide the vehicles they lead

until they arrive close enough to be 
seen by other drivers. 

In political fogs fact and factoid blur. Alternative facts,
lies that wear well-constructed masks. Fear wins.

Each lie repeats often enough to be used as light beams for 
followers. The mask asks folk to scoff non-believers.

And the non-believers respond with taunts, point out stupidity,
lack of logic, inconsistency. A no-win war begins.

In the natural world, sun, blue, and clouds reappear. 
Black trees remain leafless. Headlights become optional,

a choice. Drivers can see without them. Can eyes open 
and human roots join for change? Must fog live in all seasons?

Or can sun live despite fog? As headlights point out need,
can drivers carrying hope respond with an ear instead of censure?

Yes, I hear where you stand, those who would
destroy the poor and give to the rich, but I disagree. 

Peace for the world.
 Eventually. Please.




Originally written in 2019


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Persistence, like a Plant Pushing Through Rock

Posted in inspiration, positive thinking, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on February 3, 2020| Leave a Comment »

At the end of the day, tell yourself gently: “I love you, you did the best you could today, and even if you didn’t accomplish all you had planned, I love you anyway. (Francois)

Turn on the news. Try not to scream, or worse, cry in despair. Integrity has been attacked. The legal system in the United States has been destroyed. Untrue statements repeat as valid, creating powerful weapons against justice. Absurdity and hate reach a crescendo.

And the notion that an honest tomorrow is promised, falls short.

So, why try to fight evil? Because I have value. You have value. The folk who have been misled have value. I remember a picture I took in County Clare in Ireland a year and a half ago. During a drought. A plant was growing through a hole in a rock. The growth didn’t happen quickly. It did happen after persistence.

To remain capable of giving even as the world seems to crumble. To smile, honestly, at a critic. Not easy. And no, I haven’t earned a halo. I have done the best I could today. May the rock break open just a little bit more. With the counter-weapon of compassion, while continuing to speak truth.

 

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