Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Production of Peace

Earth Day could be every day, if we would simply slow down;
We cannot cherish that in which we are never fully engaged.
What if we looked into the eyes of our babies as we fed them,
Instead of focusing all our attention on other activities in the room?

What if we really listened for true meaning as others speak to us,
Instead of treating conversations as mindless background noise?
It seems to me that even childbirth should be slowed down in families;
The human animal takes many years to become a responsible citizen.

What good does it do us to continue to create more life on earth,
While we assist in destruction of the environment to support it?
Instead of travelling to rural areas to teach them our ways of life,
Perhaps we should visit them to learn how to live happily on less.

It takes time and attention to appreciate what we already have;
Humans have the ability to dine with others, rather than simply to eat.
How often do we take the time to ask about the origin and treatment
Of the products to which we have such abundant access?

Do we ever take a moment to thank the steer who gave his life,
So that we may enjoy becoming one with his blood and flesh?
What about the bees and butterflies that pollinate the fruit trees;
Do we ever stop to thank them when we bite into a juicy peach?

What if every item we purchase carried an environmental impact label?
Would we then consume only what protects our grandchildren's earth?
We have been programmed to expect to have an excess of everything;
What is good for unfettered capitalism is destroying our own homes.

Poverty is, itself, a product promoted by managers of mindless machines;
Excess numbers of people are created and destroyed by corporate will.
There is no weakness in simply sharing appreciation with another,
Rather than proving supremacy over others by acts of ownership.

We have the ability to channel overwhelming awe into productive action;
Productivity has to be redefined as earth's protection and our appreciation.
How much greater would earth's future be if we measured human success
By how much peace and safety we generate in the most vulnerable societies?














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