Poem by Ken Jones in honor of Armistice Day

 

Photo of Asheville War Memorial by Gerry Werhan

Remember: Act Here Now

An Armistice Day Calling

Today I want to remember, and grieve

all who have suffered - and still suffer - from war:

the dead, so many dead, on all sides,

the living wounded, in body and mind and spirit

the hungry, the heartbroken

the survivors.

I find myself among them all,

witnessing in our own time and place

a world gone mad, addicted to war

over there, in the name of oil and gas

and conquest;

here, in the name of jobs

and righteousness.

And yet

I remember -

we are all one people

on only one earth,

one miracle among billions of miracles

spinning through infinite space,

gifted to be part of a divine creation.

We all see the same sun rising

the same moon eclipsing,

drink the same water,

breathe the same air

eat from the same garden

of Mother Earth.

We are within the same

Great Spirit.

We who yearn for peace

for justice

for freedom

for the very blessing of life to continue

for our children and grandchildren -

It is we who are called

not just to remember,

not just to see the truth,

not just to wish for the best

but to act 

as though there is an emergency.

Because there is.

All we hold dear, all that we know

is under attack

by

endless war

climate catastrophe

racial hatred and fear

capitalism gone amok

fascism.

And so, on this day of remembering,

let us also look forward

and commit ourselves

here and now

to work for peace and justice,

to put an end to all forms of violence

here, there, and everywhere -

In our

hearts

homes

schools

streets

towns

workplaces

borders

world.

Let us be prophetic voices

in these troubled times -

for peace, not war,

for 

Living in harmony with nature

Sharing the wealth

Understanding “the other”

Healing the injuries

Caring, not punishing

Freeing, not enslaving

Loving, not fearing.

Our time is fleeting.

How will we spend 

our remaining days?

Armistice is good, but not enough;

remembering is good, but not enough.

Now, more than ever,

we must act,

with love,

to heal and protect all life

in this home we call Earth.

 - Ken Jones