let us live like the present is all we have
and not waste time, energy, and resources
hoping for a better world in the next life
while creating conflict and chaos in this one

let us revere the hearts of artists, poets,
and all who sacrifice for peace and unity
instead of the false heroes and plastic idols
pushed at us by moguls through the media

let us toil to make this miracle we call earth
our vision of heaven, utopia, or nirvana
and leave it in the hands of nurtured children
exchanging status for the greater good

let us strive to be righteous instead of religious
and lift each other up with love, not judgment
let us measure not our lives by accumulation,
but by the seeds sown for future generations

so mote it be, Amen

Shelbyville, Tennessee ‘16