Mindful

Though there may be little to celebrate

in the march of days,

in the laying down of one year

over another,

though reasons to think and notice

be papered over 

with sales

and paucity of leisure time,

though days themselves have little power

to elicit mindfulness,

still a wave of progress

is coming through

We will not use the tools of war

in this, our urgent bid for peace,

we will not tear down first

before we rise.

It takes our every ounce of effort

to grow, to build connection;

we’re filling now with our imperative

and soon our interlock will overcome

what, all this time, was set up to divide us

We will be mindful

not because of history

or because of others

but because of us, because of now.

©Wendy Mulhern

January 16, 2017