Grace

Grace

We walk for a time, among those
who, of different gods, share this earth with us
in war and in peace, we are brothers after all
by grace have we walked among them

We walk for a time, among those
ghosts call to us from ten thousand patriot graves
beseeching us to stewardship worthy of their blood and devotion
by grace have we walked among them

We walk for a time, with those
who loved us first, who connect us to our ancestors,
back to the first man and first woman
by grace have we walked with them

We walk for a time, with those
whose small hands we held in our own
who leave our homes, but never our hearts
by grace have we walked with them

We walk for a time, with those
who are the better part of ourselves who bring us
the gifts of passion and forgiveness, tears and bliss
by grace have we walked with them

We walk for a time in grace
in sunlight, in moonlight and in shadow
let us remember the bounty of our lives
for it is by grace that we have walked this earth at all

Mark F. Cook
Copyright 2005
All rights reserved