One More Cheek.

Ten days ago an untouched happy people
First felt the ravages of sudden war
Felt fresh the pain they'd only seen in movies
The impossible was possible and raw.

But we now here are children of old circumstance
Our pasts are not for us to hope to change
The consequences of our parents' actions
Fill us now with mushroom clouds of rage.

The present is a time for introspection;
What can we do to change our childrens' past
To make the world the future's turqoise marble
And everybody's backyard make to last..?

This is the time to show that other cheek
The one that is all wet with tears and bleeding
To stop the world that is as ever reeling
With body counts that drew world maps with blasts.

We as a people of a world of Wisdom
Must do all that we can to create peace;
Not as a word as Defence Chieftains utter;
Not as opposed to War and therefore peace,

But as a truth within the human spirit
That sweeps across the globe in conscious sweep
That lives to day as one would want tomorrow
To be the world our children's children reap..

How gargantuan the borders that we build.
How fast,how high, how wide, how deep we go;
What speed employ to travel beyond guilt;
Believe me friend, thats where we'll ever go...!

The spirit of all good is deep within us
It does not have a religion or name
It does not need a gun or man made power
It does not play those illogical games.

It's such a wondrous all pervasive ether
Without a need to prove its strength for slake.
It loiters there among each human psyche
It sleeps unless one touches it awake....

And when awake, it's strength is beyond fathom,
Creating lasting peace across the globe.
It takes one past those crudities of history;
It does need not to wear a coloured robe!

Within our hearts and minds let's deeply ponder
How best to wake that sleeping little light...;
There's so much to be gained and none to lose
If only we would take the time to try.



Famida Basheer-Sept 21st-2001