Love and Leadership

All humans are made as Chosen Ones,
But because we don't want to be fully human,
From the god spark in each other we turn away;
The innocent and the righteous then become easy prey.
It is so much easier to drag others down
Than it is to rise to the level of Holy Ground.
And it takes little to get a crowd to bond
By waving fear over them, like a magic wand.
Then the fear mongers set themselves up as our saviors
After taking us past the point where we can endure.

I suspect that most of us still believe in a god
Who, when pleased, gives us an earthly reward.
We believe that this god will vanquish our enemies,
Thus showing others how they, too, should be.
This has led to such abuse and misunderstanding;
Treating others with compassion is what my god is demanding.
But we blame the victims born to lesser circumstance,
And try to fix them instead of giving them a chance,
To find their inner strengths and build discipline,
By working beside them as their equals and friends.

Every person of every color is related to me,
But the differences are what we prefer to see.
It makes it easy to categorize people we don't know.
Learning from one another is the only way to grow.
But we're hypocrites who sanction immorality
By not looking at ourselves for what others see.
We claim privilege as the chosen ones,
And of the beliefs of others make great fun.
Where is the basic respect for the image of god
That is in each human who ever, on the earth, trod?

We can't love one another in a disciplined way
Until we learn to keep our own demons at bay.
If the enlightened ones continue to walk the right way,
Their light will keep others from wanting to stray
From the path of self-discipline and righteousness,
And will guide lost souls back when they regress.
Shouting from the rooftops all sacred scripture
Will not spread the word as well as those who endure
The passions of others and lend a hand,
To anyone suffering in the family human.

Anticipation and Afterglow

Anticipation and afterglow are the things that I miss most,
With the ever-busy agendas, running from coast to coast.
There are a few friends that I trust to have consideration
For my life's pace and my sense of moral obligation.
Most want me to catch them for moments on the run;
This has never been my idea of relationships or fun.
How can I know if I really want to be involved then

When I haven't been informed of, or part of, the plan?
Some say this is a need to control the agenda,
But it's really that I am my own primary defender.
One I enter another persons territory or plan
I give up some control of part of who I am.
I've never enjoyed seeing movies when I was by myself;

I don't enjoy parties for me, planned by someone else.
I enjoy the sharing of the build up to excitement,
And the talking about what we saw and where we went
That makes my life feel most settled and secure
When people want me to hurry, I'm rather demure.

I object to being bossed like a dog or a slave;
When I left my marriage I had to act brave.
It was all an act, I didn't want my children to see
The fear, or they would be as scared as me.
How was I to know that modern motherhood
Was a series of surprises, at which I'm not good?

How happy I was when they had children of their own,
And I could relax and enjoy them in my home.
But as their success became their driving force,
I couldn't continue on their ever-faster course.
It is now enough to hear their tales of victory;
Knowing they're responsible citizens is afterglow to me.

Unexamined Emotions

Is remorse actually a form of self-centeredness?
Is examining one's own actions a form of arrogance?
Are we to put so little value on ourselves
That we understand our actions matter not to others?

The unexamined life is said to be" not worth living"
Jews, including Jesus, taught repentance and remorse.
Can we make amends if we don't think about our parts
In the conflicts with others in which we find ourselves?

And is remorse useful without a plan for change,
In order to keep often repeated conflict at bay?
Repentance can only lead to relationships
When both parties have an equal stake in peace.

We are given permission to walk away from others
If there is not common value in seeking unity.
We still carry on with the unresolved emotions.
Is there no prescription for how to heal ourselves?

It seems it's not only the sins of suffering parents
That are passed on to generations of their progeny,
But also the unresolved emotional turmoil
That, at death, still infects the parents' souls.


Where are the committed church tribunals,
And those who are ready to act as mediators,
To whom do we take our most precious
Problems in our community relationships?


Many finally pull back from contact with society,
Afraid of the burden of causing more pain.
Forgiveness shouldn't mean foolishly
Knocking on a locked door again and again.

The psychologists say it's depression;
The lawyers say it's the end of love;
The penitents say pray for forgiveness.
Who is willing to help heal the breach?

I have no use for magical churches
That use spells and incantations.
Give me communities committed
To resurrecting dying relationships.

The Divine in Our Time

What people call "atheists" may simply be rejecting
The limiting definitions of the manifestations of Good.
Perhaps what many mean when they say they're atheistic
Is that they don't believe that Divinity can be defined.

Why do we insist on limiting the manifestations of Divinity
To only those that were written about long before our time?
Divinity can't be codified or limited to our own experience.
Is it not time to stop the naming and hating of "heretics"?

It seems that having faith is very much like making soup;
Calling it the same thing doesn't make it taste just the same.
Each person of faith we encounter tells the stories differently;
My religious friends' "Gods" sound mighty different to me.

One speaks of the God of revenge and restitution;
Another speaks of the God of sacrifice and pain.
Even the ones who seem to celebrate The Spirit
Still tend to limit their scope to their own scriptural homes.

How many times are we willing to repeat the "Holy" wars
Before we finally stop allowing human families to be slain?
Are we destined to forever repeat our painful history,
Or are we ready for the world to become the promised land?

Why are we afraid to hear what other people believe?
Why do we get angry when our own beliefs are questioned?
How many of us even understand where our beliefs originate?
How many of us know the sins of our own faith's history?

It seems that all faiths have a journey from fear of the unknown
To a place where the faith must go forward or it will die.
Growth is never comfortable; it takes much introspection
In order to plan the way that will lead us in a forward path.

Why do we insist on appointing others to study and think for us?
Don't we know that faith is shared in ways that agree with words?
Awe of The Almighty Universal Energy that sparks all life
Is an act of life-affirming adoration, unlike the culture of fear.

Faith is shared person-to-person, looking at the soul in one's eyes;
Teaching is best done in wondering and working side-by-side.
What we daily experience is what we most learn to live;
Words are subject to interpretation based on our own beliefs.

I'll heed the words of the people who daily celebrate,
And share their own blessings with a sense of gratitude.
I'll follow the leader who is singing while laboring,
Sharing in the burdens of those that their societies shun.

Democracy and Depravity

One doesn't have to be a Communist to distrust unfettered competition;
Jealousy and a desire to possess put our world in its current position.
Adam and Eve were jealous of  unneeded universal knowledge,
And Cain killed his brother Abel to satisfy a jealous grudge.

It seems to be that mindless competition is the root of our downfall;
Climbing up on vanquished others doesn't actually make one tall.
The secret of true strength is to maximize each other on a team.
This will not only build community; it builds our self-esteem.

The rules of successful community are written in the commandments,
But there are many greedy souls who don't give others a chance.
They seem to want to always be the top of the community heap;
Once they achieve power, their evil they begin to reap.

They then make themselves into monarchs pretending to protect
The shoulders on which they stand, but otherwise reject.
They hide behind the system which worships earthly gain.
If we continue not to call them out, will only they remain?

We must be willing to all become community builders,
Not using religion, race, gender or creed as our filters.
We are not England or a European nation of kings;
We are strong because we assimilate many disparate things.

Let us begin to actively support diversity of strengths,
And join together to tear down the monarchical pretense.
There is no such thing as a "government" program in democracy;
No person or corporation should exempt themselves from paying fees.

The people receiving their social security checks today
Did not contribute what, from our budget, we now must pay.
The babies born before they are ready to live on their own
Will take much from the medical system, statistics have shown.

The people who don't want babies, they only want unfettered sex,
We refuse to pay for society, from their fertility, to protect.
But we continue to pay much to try to rescue the child
That will probably never be more productive than animals in the wild.

The weapons that kill many who are supporting their young
Are taking resources from which humanitarian efforts could be wrung.
If we want true equality and justice in our world and nation,
We must have companies bonded on teamwork instead of corporations.

For every service and every program we want for ourselves
There is accompanying cost on which we'd rather not dwell.
Taxpayers should be able to count on everyone paying his or her way,
Not exempting those who have the most political sway.

The answer is not in mindless protests to say what we won't do;
The answer is in asking on what effort each of us is willing to crew.
Every decision should be based on acceptance of responsibility;
There aren't any solutions that come to us completely free.

"God" may provide, but does so with our human hands;
The sharing of our strengths is what true humanity demands.
The belief that some are born to lead and some to be enslaved
Has, for too many generations, kept humanity depraved.

Demand Democracy

Our republic has long-since stopped representing me.
Is our still-young country now ready for democracy?
Are we ready to grow up, and stop looking for human saviors?
As free adults, we are all responsible for our own behaviors.

Our country was not created to be led by corporations,
And the constitution left out those from lower stations.
We have the ability and right to fix it in these times
By refusing to backslide in our equality climb.

The conversation in our country is full of abject fear,
Instead of the values that we each hold most dear.
Perhaps it's time to take our history books off the shelf.
It is still true that the only "thing to fear is fear itself."

The Bible tells of centuries of "eye for eye" and "tooth for tooth",
But this only leads to more bloodshed, is the eternal truth.
We are told to love our enemies. In the Divine earthly plan,
Love begins with the attempt to, their grievances, understand.

We ridicule those who want to have fruitful conversations,
Instead of riding out to destroy or conquer other nations.
How many of us have read the histories of other faiths?
Without knowledge, how can we justify hating other races?

There is so much similarity in the stories of all families;
Things go wrong when we confuse our wants with needs.
Perhaps the real reason for so much natural disaster
Is to bring out the best in people that we see shortly after.

Let us learn from our service people what they have to say
About the families they met while they were far away.
If we would ask them about their lives in other places
We may see our family values in these non-white faces,


We don't need pundits and politicians who create fear;
More individuals need personal missions that are clear.
Perhaps we should stop participating in religious wars.
Isn't this what Christianity is supposed to be for?

Perhaps Israel should not be a country, but a state of mind;
To the possibility of heaven on earth we continue to be blind.
I believe my country of birth has the greatest potential
To solve the ongoing problems that are so elemental.

We went through killing each other over slavery and greed;
Corporations have created an underclass of unjust need.
The only way to break the cycle of an unjust nation
Is to bond together in our democracy's celebration.

We must speak out in informed, intelligent conversation
About our vision for our world and our own nation.
True change in all nations comes from peaceful protest;
Rallies for true democracy are what I humbly suggest.

We must take back our country from career politicians,
Becoming educated enough to make wise decisions.
We must make our voices heard above the corporations;
Lack of personal responsibility is what's killing our nation.

I am willing to wager my life that there are still those
Who, like our founding fathers, to national service, are disposed.
What about our billionaires serving in other countries?
Don't we think they may serve their own country for free?

The old folks must stop resenting being asked to step away,
And the young must be open to what the elders have to say.
But as long as every conversation begins with fear and anger,
Our country and world will continue to be in grave danger.

Let's begin with respectful listening to others' ideas,
Stop turning into anger all our unwarranted fears.
And if we are angry at anyone, let it be our obligation
To use that energy to break the cycle of fear ruling our nation.

We must put down our drugs, our alcohol, and our guns;
If we bond together, peacefully, we can't all be made to run.
We are killing ourselves to hide our righteous passion;
I've heard a purpose-driven life is now all the fashion.

No revolution goes forward without the bright flame
Of those who will no longer accept more of the same.
This is not now the time to pray for personal peace;
This is the time to unite to help make injustice cease.

Creeds and Greed

That all creation is a sacred trust; when will we understand

It is only lent for safekeeping to the homo sapiens?

We must realize that all of ownership is but an illusion, 

Ancient humans had already reached that conclusion.

Those who insist on absolute ownership deny
The richness of creation to all outside their tribes.
Despots make rules to keep others at bay,
Not even obeying what they, themselves, say.

Creeds are often used as a means to exclude,
More than they're about who we include.
I would rather have a great big tent
To whom all those needing boundaries are sent.

I don't set the rules, but I accept
There may be reasons to, others, reject.
Some want nothing but anarchy,
So that they're free from community.


There is no anarchy in animal tribes
There's always a leader behind whom others hide.
But even the animals won't follow those
Who don't follow rules that, on others, they impose


We can't accept any who easily dispose
Of the rules our community will propose.
They may get expelled if they refuse to adhere
To the values that our community holds most dear.

There will always be a place at the table
For those who want to hear the fables
That are simply communication tools
For sharing of the boundaries and rules.

We are like sheep following wolves
Who consume, rather than protect, our young
It is time that we create new heroes
About whom our hymns will being sung.

Let's sing of the dedicated fathers and mothers
Who are faithful to community and to each other.
There is no greater bravery than making a stand
In bringing up children to be responsible humans.