The day (once more)
when the world as we know it stopped
the Doomsday Clock, barely
in the nick of time, stood still
the power of political death over
individual life ended, the
civilization
of greed and ego and violence
collapsed
returning to dust.

Not because
somebody, supernaturally, descended
from the clouds, not because
the sea miraculously parted.
The event happened
(happened again and is happening still)
because a little child
held a blossoming flower
in innocent hands. A
flower (a child)
as precious and sublime
as the breath of life.

The new beginning began
because a mother
breastfed her infant. In
quiet security she sang a
mothering lullaby
of the continuum
of the sanctity of life.

The turning point arrived
(arrived again and is arriving still)
when a young man and
a young woman stood up
courageously together, proclaiming:
“No! No more!
Enough is enough!”

Making heard
making felt The
No that is The Yes
to justice, the worth of a
single individual, the
priority of life over death – over
political death
and tyranny – hateful
ideology
and the too frequent
dehumanizing
world obliterating Nought
(the Day denying)
reign of terror, the endless
Night of War.

**************************

David Sparenberg, An international essayist, eco-poet, and storyteller, David Sparenberg is author of four books: EARTH KEEPER: an Ecosophy of Poems, EARTH CRISIS HUMAN CRISIS: Urgent Essays, BEING HERE & BELONGING: Visions, Talks & Meditations, volumes 1-3 in the Grassroots Reader Series, and CONFRONTING the CRISIS: Essays & Meditations on Eco Spirituality from Moon Books.  David lives in Seattle, WA in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.