TO BE HUMAN

     Reposting this old poem of mine in the wake of the Sri Lanka suicide bombing that killed hundreds of Christians         


TO BE HUMAN

  

The thing hoods his head and shrouds his face

Scared to let others know the real him.

Would he let us see the contour of his soul?

Beloved earthling, why do you hide behind 

a black shade? Is your face so accursed 

it glowers beyond my nightmare?  

 What kind of god tells you to behead  

One who touched not a single strand 

Of your hair?

What power sets your mind to mangle

a world so lovingly shaped by the one

true God, then rend yourself to pieces?

What vileness breaks your fragile brain

And turns your humanness into a chimera?

Oh, that you would wake up ,

Would that you look to the sun and lift the veil,

Shake off the shackles and behold

The heroic wresting lives from dragon.

Breathe in the fresh scent of flowers,

Cradle a  baby, nurse a wounded soldier.

See, the sky bends to kiss the sea.

Sun gleams resplendent if you let it in.

See the you that is human and beautiful

With all the fullness of your splendor.

                            - Blanca Datuin, (c) 2008