Golden Peace

Peace: that beautiful, elusive dream
Of common accord, friendship and goodwill.
So much tragedy in this world.
I don't want to think about the wars, famines, disasters
That run rampant daily in the headlines.
It's so easy to ignore in my quiet, sheltered home;
Just turn off the screens, turn down the noise and try to write something,
Or give up entirely and drown my rambling thoughts in music,
Oblivious to the suffering of others.
What can one insignificant soul do
Against powers and principalities raging across the land?
I feel helpless, voiceless, ultimately hopeless.
Escape is my only coping mechanism.
But when I take a closer look at life
I see the good in people
And realize there must be some kindness
Holding back the evils.
Is it God?
I remember Pascal's wager,
And try to have faith… which is another story.
Prayer and signing petitions
Are all I can think of to do
To help the cause of peace on a larger scale.
But there are different kinds of peace:
My personal peace is mostly at night,
When I'm all alone in the quiet of moonlight
And can write to my heart's content—
Or at least until I fall asleep.
Sometimes I get carried away on the internet instead.
(That's what airplane mode is for!)
Then, there's interpersonal peace
Which is related to brotherly love, forgiveness and forbearance.
I struggle with these, as an ill-tempered sort,
And prefer being alone to dealing with people.
Peace: an admirable eternal goal,
Always something to strive for, perhaps never quite achieving
Whether inside one's heart, in one's home,
Or in the world at large.
With God's help, it will come someday—
If you believe in God, that is.
Otherwise, we're on our own.

41 lines, 292 words, free verse