Not A Single Thing

At the end of the day if the truth be told, 
we don't own a single thing we hold.
Not the spoils we gain, nor the gold in hand.
Not the things we reap. Not the tracks of land
that we build upon, where we stake our claim.
Not the talents held, nor the claims to fame.
Not the words we write. Not the songs we sing.
No, we don’t own a single thing.
But the will we hold deep inside our heart.
Yes, the choice we make, that's the only part
of our whole existence that we own,
which is ours to give and ours alone.

For we cannot make one hair black or white.
We can’t turn back time. We can't stop the night
when the setting sun brings our time to go,
leaving all behind. Brother, don't you know
that the time wanes short, not a day to waste?
Time to realize why we're in this place.
We are stewards of everything that is ours.
Ours to use for better or for worse.
It’s a final test, may the record bare -
that we made a choice… and we chose to share.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2024

Poem

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Book: Diverse Voices: The Poetry of Human Rights and the Pursuit of Peace