Norths & Souths

                  for the people of Korea

Throughout history.

Countries and kingdoms,

dynasties and dominions

from the Americas to Asia,

Europe to Brittania.

Have lost their civility;

descended sadly

into hostilities.

Throughout life,

then and now,

men and women

have, too, at times

left their inner poles,

their true norths

and souths. Lost

that precious harmony; 

entered blindly

into inhumanities.

As Mr. Lincoln sagely said

A house divided

against itself

cannot stand. 

Rightly so, from houses 

of nations and cultures

to houses of communities

and self; yours and mine. 

Or stand well, or worthily.

Until they hold themselves,        

until we hold our selves,

close to the deeper heart-

fulness of mankind --

our humankindness -- and

the benevolent geography 

of Nature.

Colin Goedecke

for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics

www.thepoetorialist.com

Winter 2018