Once Upon a Time Poems

Orison

Punish us not!
How can you dream of this place without
pony-tailed girls with ruby rings and white lace,
farmers furrowing, builders laying the base,
men and women shaking hands in friendship’s grace?

Spare us these:
the doomsday horrors of crumbling death,
mad-eyed nightmares, ominous threats, hopeless bets,
under bridges tortuous trolls with iron grips,
those warring weapons, missiles, bombs, rockets.

Show us how
arms can only be used for embrace.
As a wise wizard grants tongues to parakeets,
dreams can nudge voice to sing, pens to write,
joy to return to men of infinite feats.

Make us grasp
the beauty of clouds, golden sunbeams,
moonlight on the brook, willows weeping with ease,
gentle waves styling their love lines in the sand,
ants, elephants, fall flowers, spring leaves, tall trees.

Give us time,
till we learn to stay where we belong,
as we chase away the darkness from our eyes,
so we can march forward healed and return to
our birthright, Your eternity’s paradise.