That Might Keep Us Very Busy

A man yells "Get out of my country" before he kills
his brother wearing skin a different shade.
A witness tries to stop him, acts so unafraid
we call him hero,
though he says he did what anyone would do.

I say his act was love.

I say let's spread love by naming it.

Love keeps drivers in their lanes, calls 911
when mistakes are made. Love adopts
the child loved enough to be let go. It flies the sparrow,
grows the corn, and rains the reservoirs full.

Love is a wind clearing the air, promises
kept, an old woman's prayer. Love
is the sun and the quiet of night. Love
for a country can lead one to fight those
who love peace and basic human rights.

I'm not saying it's easy to find love
in the man yelling poison, or the senator
erasing rights of young girls and boys; I'm
just saying as long as we're keeping score,
dividing our lives into what is good
and what's abhorred, let's play fair
and spend our days noticing
all the love that comes our way.

Let's spread love by naming it.

That might keep us very busy.



Carol Barrow
March, 2017