THE ROAD TO PEACE
- W. Bryce
© July 2022
The Road to Peace
The road to Peace lies along
Forgiveness Boulevard,
Where minds come to meet
And lead their masters
To Understanding Street at
Mutual Square, where hands
Tend to shake other hands
In friendly greeting, and lead
Each other to Huggers’ Lane,
Where compliments are served,
And invitations are exchanged,
Where candles are lit only in
Celebration of Life itself, and eyes
Shine with delight to see you,
Whoever you are, for this is the
Centre of Friendship State, a
Country of conviviality and grace,
Where celebration replaces
Disputes and wars. This is where
Kindness is stocked in abundance
And granted free, in exchange for
One’s misery and grudges, and
Putdowns and threats…
This is whereFreedom Cross is
Located, to greet all pilgrims
From anguish and disillusionment,
From cruelty and torture and
Bombings and shootings…
In this Land of Peace,
Smiles have dominion over hate,
Are given freely instead of
Having to be smuggled in.
Come, walk with me along
Forgiveness Boulevard,
Where dreams are built—
This is the land of incense and roses
Where one’s nose follows its dream,
Where feelings are warm and good
And touch becomes more sensitive
To the human inside the human,
And the eyes see more clearly now
And on a clear day, one can see
Forever, can see into another’s soul
And see oneself there, a unity not
Otherwise recognized in daily toil.
This is where the taste of honey greets
The pessimistic trait and shares
That sweet nectar of love. This is the
Home the soul it is destined to find and
To dwell in with fellow converts from
Wild abandon and indulgence and
enmity. The seven deadly sins
Do not dwell here…
This is faith without prejudice. This
Is where lives Nirvana, Zen, and all
The gods of peace and love and
Respect and dignity, and eternal
Love of thy neighbour
Welcoming all who flee evil…
This is the ultimate peace.
Come, walk with me along
Foregiveness Bouleavard
Where the sun always triumphs
Over the rain and the hail of hatred
And the Lanes of Transgression
Are foiled by simple love of
Fellow being.
Simple choice, life over strife,
To Life over death of will and lousy choices.
Choice of survival made possible.
Peace, the easier, wiser path.
