When This Is Over

 

Art work by Bryony Bensley

When we get through this, I want

there to be a shift in the consciousness

of humankind. (Let's put the "kind" back

in humankind.) I want news anchors

to speak truth, with integrity and diplomacy.

I want world leaders to do the same,

to face the huge challenges

our survival as a planet depends upon -

and to make the corporations do their part,

instead of giving them a free pass

to destroy the world, and never pay.

When we get through this, I dream a dream

of the Rainbow Race rolling up our sleeves

and doing the work of recovery and restoration.

I dream we will all shop locally and vote green,

drive less, write our elected representatives

with our concerns, keep our footprints light.
I dream we will all hold

the natural world and its non-human creatures

in our hearts and in our thoughts, in everything we do,
so they may live too.

When we get through this, I hope we will remember

how terrible it was to be so divided, to not trust

those elected to serve, to fear the loss
of democracy, to witness wars being fought

in so many places, afraid
it could even happen here.
I hope we never forget

how many climate refugees there were, how many

homeless - the uncared for mentally ill 

and addicted - who lived their desperation

on the streets, and all the officials did

was take away their tents.

When we get through this, I want us to

lay a bountiful table, and invite everybody in.

Let there be heaps of good, warm bread,

and nourishing soup, and, after all have eaten,

a comfortable place for them to rest.

Let there be no creature on this earth

uncared for and unloved, 

when all of this is over.

Inspired by the title "When We Get Through This" by Maya Stein. May as well dream big, if one is going to dream.