© David W. Watts
24-25/01/2010
In 1620 Pilgrim Fathers to Plymouth Harbour came
Fleeing the Church of England and its Defender James
Built towns, schools and chapels to meet and teach and pray
And closed their gates to reprobate of any other way.
A little later Pilgrim Mothers came out to New France
Two Marguerites: Bourgeoys, d’Youville, two Maries, Jeanne Mance
Like an earlier Jeanne they took a stand when there heard the call—
Not for defense or trade or gain but service for the good of all.
When you make female and male, the left and right as one—
Then you’ll enter the kingdom of the whole that is to come.
(paraphrase from the Gospel of Thomas)
On the western plain two paths played out: Crowfoot and Sitting Bull
Chiefs of the Blackfoot and the Sioux who saw the coming toll
One faced a Father’s Long Knives, one a Mother’s redcoat sons:
“We only want to live our lives, and hunt while the rivers run. “
Survival of the smart and tough for first one out of the gate
Or blankets, farms and medicine from the nanny state.
“Feed the poor, care for the sick” a preacher-premier said
Farther south, the call rang out: “Better dead than Red!”
To fuel a future on the choice of: “Liberty—or death!”
Is empty when the air’s so foul a child can’t draw a breath
To face a challenge unseen, we chose how we will move:
Arms in salute, primed to shoot, or cradling those we love?
Yin and Yang are parts of us that keep the Human whole:
One aims to hold a space secure, the other seeks a goal—
Working together, we will weather the storm as twins:
Left or Right won’t matter at all when the final call comes in.