I’d like to finish with a couple of poems. First, this is one of my own favourites The Clear Light, 'Making the Human Race Whole.' Although I’m quite solitary and enjoy my own company, I’ve always been a friendly person, and love making connections with people. When I was younger, I was very shy,
which prevented me from making many connections. But now I’m not shy anymore, and often myself starting random conversations with people in shops or trains and making friends with strangers. I think this is really important, as a way of increasing connection and spreading good will, as the poem shows.
Making the Human Race Whole
Making the Human Race Whole
Make as many connections as you can
so that this broken world can become whole again.
It’s your responsibility
to radiate benevolence to everyone you meet
to be reckless with your friendliness
and surprise strangers with your openness
on behalf of the whole human race.
It’s your responsibility
to turn suspicion to trust, hostility to sympathy
to expose the absurdity of prejudice
to return hatred with implacable good will
until your enemies have no choice but to love you
on behalf of the whole human race.
It’s your responsibility
to free yourself from bitterness
and harness the healing power of forgiveness
to repair connections and re-establish bonds
that were broken by resentment years ago
on behalf of the whole human race.
It’s your responsibility
to make as many connections as you can
to open up channels of empathy
through which compassion can flow
until there are so many connections
across so many different networks
that finally, like the cells of a body,
billions of human beings will fuse together,
sensing their common sources
and their common core.
Then a new identity will emerge, an overriding oneness,
a human race that is truly whole, at last.
I Only Need To Meet You Once
This is an published poem of mine about a different kind of connection. Several times in my life I’ve met people and felt that they were soul mates, that I’ve known them before and will always know them. It’s such a wonderful experience, to meet people who are somehow a part of you, and will always be with you even if they’re not present. This is a poem
about one of those encounters.
I only need to meet you once
to connect with you forever.
We catch each other’s gaze across the room
and recognise each other, although we’ve never met before.
We have an invisible sign of allegiance;
the same shade of light shines through us.
We smile and draw together
and feel at ease straight away.
There’s no need to ask questions
because we already know each other.
We don’t feel protective of our personal space
because we already share common ground.
As we stand together, time seems suspended.
The rest of the room seems to dissolve away
as if a soft warm cloud has enveloped us.
Soon we have to go our separate ways.
We hug and walk away, still smiling.
We don’t feel sad, but more fulfilled and complete.
Why should we feel any sense of loss
when we’ve gained each other’s love?
Our connection transcends distance.
Wherever we are, we’ll subtly inform each other’s lives
and softly touch each other’s souls
through a timeless spaceless bond.
I only need to meet you once
to know that I’ve always known you
and that I’ll always know you
even if we never meet again.
I only need to meet you once
to know that we are one.
All best wishes and blessings, Steve
