Skip to main content

If I Could, I Would

If I could, I would
Stop all the wars
And heal all the sores
And give the less more
And free the bored
And individualize the hoard
If I could

If I could, I would
Have all women revered
And all children loved
And the old honored
And the sick well
And the disabled cheered
And the foreigner welcomed
If I could

If I could, I would
Enact gay rights around the world
And celebrate them as whole
And give them freedom
To be who they are
And embrace them into
The family of you and me
If I could

If I could, I would
Empty Congress of its politicians
And fill it with teachers
And Poets
And writers;
With artists
And sculptors;
With farmers
And ranchers;
With animal lovers
And stargazers;
With gardeners
And fishermen
If I could

If I could, I would
Remove all bigotry
And prejudice of every kind
And put the redneck
and the whitey
and the Confederate flagger
and the bully cop
and the crooked judge
and the compromised preacher
And baptize them in the holiness
Of tolerance and give them
The spirit of love for all
If I could

If I could, I would
Stretch my soul to
Enlarge my small self
And grow my heart
Beyond its boundaries
Of fear and pride
Of hostility and shame
And be a man of grace
And generosity,
A man so human
My love would seem divine
If I could


© 2017 Timothy Moody

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

We are Made for Human Connection

There are words from Brandi Carlile’s song, “The Story,” that I might sing, and perhaps you, too. “All of these lines across my face Tell you the story of who I am So many stories of where I've been And how I got to where I am But these stories don't mean anything When you've got no one to tell them to” You don’t have to be single or alone to feel the depth of those words. Someone in a longtime marriage or relationship might feel them, too. The voyage through life takes each one of us through an assortment of experiences. Some of them ennoble us. Some crush us. Some lift us beyond ourselves and carry us into the lives of those who need us. And some carry us to those we need. Some experiences are burdens. Others ease and encourage us. Some leave us baffled and unsure. Some build confidence within us and are so affirming that we grow in substance, in courage, in tenderness, and sympathy. As we age, the lines in our faces can represent the hurts we have not yet resolved. Or t
Post a Comment
Read more

If I had five minutes to evacuate--what would I take with me?

If I was told there was a bomb in my building and I had five minutes to evacuate my apartment I’d grab a grocery bag and quickly toss these items into it: 1. A photo of my grandparents, Mom and Pop and me, when I was 15 years old. I learned what love is made of from them. I learned what it is to be kissed on and hugged in arms so tender they felt like God’s arms. I discovered self worth from those two angels in human flesh. Of all the people in my life, they were the ones who made me feel I counted. Honestly, whatever capacity I have to love others came from them. 2. A sentimental, dog-eared, stars in the margin copy of Pat Conroy’s, “The Prince of Tides.” It is a book I have read three times and often return to for its wisdom. It is a harsh, profoundly tragic novel, the story of a family so broken and tortured by such flawed and wounded people that it is sometimes difficult to turn the next page. And yet it is the story of such Herculean courage and endurance that you want
9 comments
Read more

Remembering Dr. Bill Craig

In Memoriam  Dr. Bill Craig January 1, 2020 In the Hebrew Bible, we see from the life of Moses, and the Psalmist, Isaiah and others , concern for the problem of living rather than the problem of dying.   Their primary interest was not how to escape death, but rather, how to sanctify life. Bill modeled that kind of wisdom.  The brilliant novelist Louis L'Amour, who wrote bestselling books about the American West, what he called “frontier stories,” basically said the same thing. He wrote, “The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail.” No one attempted to sanctify life and get more out of the trail than Bill Craig. He was a deep thinker, a gifted veterinarian, a rugged and unbreakable man with the kindest heart and the purest motives.  He was a loving and devoted husband, father, and grandfather. Karen, Shalor and Melissa, Kellan, Nolan and Carter, were his world. They meant everything to him. I guess he had faults, but I don’t remember any of them.  There was o
Post a Comment
Read more