A Poem for Advent

The time of expectancy
settles upon
dark winter nights
edging towards the dawn
of a child’s birth
reminding us
to welcome into
our hearts
this season of
Hope. Peace. Love. and Joy.

This time of waiting
comes upon us
in the darkness
of our fear
we shall never find
the way
for the light
to shine
for all mankind
to see

the only way to Peace
is to surrender

our arms
empty
holding out
Hope. Peace. Love. and Joy.

the only path to Peace
is through

holding onto
nothing but
Hope. Peace. Love. and Joy.

Forgetting is not forgotten

I forgot
in between the doing
to-ing
and fro-ing
I forgot

Not about peace
never about peace
just the commitment
to make peace a priority

but is it necessary to always hold
that which I want to create
in front of me?

is it necessary to be
that which I want to live
always within me
letting it out for others to see?

Yes.
To create change
I must be that change

To keep my commitment
I must live my commitment
and in the living
inspire my heart
to live up to
the peace within me.

and in that living
peace becomes
me
and you
and them
and us
until
our thinking shifts
from finding ways
to find peace
through war
to living peace
through our hearts
connected.

Thank you Elizabeth for bringing me back to my commitment to write a poem of peace a day. I begin again.

Peace happened between us

I heard a man say
what’re ya’ smokin’ lady?

Peace?
it’ll never happen.

I stepped into the circle
of his discord

the smoke of his cigarette
circling me

like smoke signals
whispering on the winds of change

I stretched out my hand
and he reached his hand back

towards me crossing
the distance between us

lessened as we stepped
towards each other

We just have to make room
for peace I told him

And we stood
hands connected

the smoke rose and we breathed
momentarily together

and peace happened
between us.

There is no other way

Peace happens
it is not a by-product
of war or anger, strife or discord
it is not the outcome
of governments signing
treaties declaring
peace begins
now.

Peace never ended
it just never had a chance
to be present
in our fear
Love wasn’t enough
to make peace happen
now.

Peace never left us
we just quit believing
it was there
in our hearts
and that we could make it
rise up
now.

Peace happens
when we let go of believing
war, anger, strife and discord
are the answer.

Peace happens
inside
me
and you
and all of us
when we let go
of fearing
there is no other way
than Love.