Mike Turner

What Nation?

What makes a nation?

Is it the borders surrounding it?

Mythical lines on a grid map?

Invisible in the real world

Except for the fences and walls we erect

And the guards we post to keep people out

Is it the political force motivating it?

The ethereal “will of the people”?

Herded by the power elite

Shunted to their ends like lemmings to the cliff

The “haves” and “have nots;” a conspiracy of privilege 

Or is it rather the soul of compassion?

The desire, the drive, to improve the lot of all?

Freedom, Equality, Opportunity

Justice, Security and Inclusion

Talismans of what we as a united people stand for 

Let us tear down our walls

Set aside our factionalism 

Extend our hands and hearts

So that each may attain their fullest potential

Together forming the Nation of Humanity

Absence, Of Choice

Violence will not give us peace

Peace is the absence of violence

Lies will not give us truth

Truth is absence of lies

Threats will not give us security

Security is the absence of threats

Greed will not give us worth

Worth is the absence of greed

Bigotry will not give us equality

Equality is the absence of bigotry

Inequity will not give us justice

Justice is the absence of inequity

Oppression will not give us freedom

Freedom is the absence of oppression

Hate will not give us love

Love is the absence of hate

To absent from our world

Violence, lies, threats, greed, bigotry, inequity, oppression, hate

We need only live our lives

In peace, truth, security, worth, equality, justice, freedom and love

Absence, of choice

Let us so choose

Today

May We Know…

May we know Joy

To sustain us through sorrow

Beauty 

To see past ugliness

Laughter 

To endure tragedy

Calm

To quell anxiety

Hope

To ease despair

Faith

To leaven doubt

Courage

To overcome our fears

Unity

To banish division

And through it all

May we know Love

Given and received

To bind us in our common Humanity