Poem of the Month

Yes! We Can . . .

Sitting by the shore - Knees to chest

Despondent, defeated, in my cries for Earth and Nation

as a small roll of water

Unfurls at my toes - humming

An almost quiet remnant of the surf-roar.

What might have been

Had I not been sleeping

On the sand. Oblivious?

I could have . . . should have . . .

Pondering in cool morning mist,

I watch the gulls play

Without concern for my

Human musings of hopelessness

They know not, that their own survival

invades my thoughts.

They don’t know of separation and turmoil

Of apathy, of surrender, of silent voices,

as they chatter noisily.

They can. They never doubted that they can.

One or a thousand of us,

Like the seabirds,

Shouting in a tumultuous cacophony

Against the war cries, the fear, the impossibilities

Will fade on the chorus

Of change, of achievement, of courage

Unless we shout louder! Then . . . we can.

Peering then, far into the horizon,

I watch a new wind stir the water,

The currents, swelling the waves

Rising, larger, taller, a froth of energy

Is bursting forth in the white spray

Turning into a melody . . . We can. Yes, we can

We can, you sitting there huddled,

And all those willing to disrobe

The masks, the costumes, the anger misdirected,

the errant notions that you are victim and voiceless

When really, you are surrendering.

Hark, who is that singing?

That song rising . . . to a crescendo?

Yes we can . . . I hear the words now . . . yes we can,

as a new tidal wave crashes on the shore

of indifference and hopelessness.

Yes! We CAN!