If We Love...

Why is there so much hatred

Just because skin tones vary

And faith reigns in the multiplicity

Of cultural, ethnic, and social beliefs?

Why can’t parents raise children

With respect and discipline, knowing

How to receive love and love in return?

Why is it that parents who claim to love,

Abuse and misuse the children they brought into this world?

How can they not see the damage and lifelong misery

They cause with their neglectful, hateful ways?

Why do we need guns to settle differences

When all we need is communication—listening and hearing,

To one another, accepting differing perceptions of life, wrong and right,

Rather than creating a mockery of justice by taking lives?

Why do we need to self-medicate on drugs of choice,

Instead of seeking assistance, allowing pain to be our voice

In the deserts of waste and want and desire to arise,

Above current situations, seeing what we could be in a different light.

Why do we allow corrupt politicians to legislate

Laws that do nothing to help forward movement, but

Do everything to hinder justice for all, igniting even more

Hatred—fueling frustrations, igniting detonators lying deep within

The hearts of those who refuse to bend to the Will of God?

If we love as God loves—why can’t we do as God does—

Love unconditionally without thought to race, religion or doubt,

Just ready to love and forgive the slights shown to us, by those

Who don’t know Him, but we do— and should not act as those who don’t.

If we love our parents, why can’t we care for them in their hour of need,

Just as they took care of us, until we could care for ourselves,

Or do we just look inwardly and think only of self, not caring for others,

Despising and distancing ourselves from fathers and mothers,

Who even if they were wrong—the parent-child relationship should remain strong.

If we love our neighbors as ourselves,

Why can’t we see their hurt and need and allow compassion

And kindness to reign in our hearts as we tend to their comfort,

Knowing, what we do for others will be done unto us.

If we love, why can’t we sit down and talk about differences

And those needs we have in common—shelter, clothing and food,

Joy, peace, happiness, more love and all things good,

That guarantee the continual perpetuation of humanity,

Without the continual perpetration of abuse and misuse?

If we love, why can’t we love ourselves enough to see,

Where we need to grow up and mature, behaving responsibly?

Looking deep inside, outside and all around us—noting changes

That require movement on our part to sustain us and those

We say we love.

If we love…

© 2015 Mary M. Hall-Rayford