The Power Within: A Poem for Humanity
Darlene Reilley
You speak of equality.
You speak of generalities.
But you only see
The pigment on me.
I stand here to say
I am more than the color of my skin.
I am more than you think I am.
But there’s something else.
So. Are. You.
You are more than the color of your skin.
You are light eternal.
The spark itself that creates existence
All you see, touch, hear, and taste.
You are more than history.
You are more than present.
You are greater than the sum of all ages.
You are the sum of over 200,000 years of evolution.
You are the height of knowledge.
You are the sum of all your ancestors.
Millions have died so that you may live.
Generations have fought and bled and wept
So that you may have the present
in it’s imperfect state.
You, my darling, are
the reason
the meaning
the hope
and the being.
So when you’re
Texting
Poking
Snapchatting
Facebooking
Twittering
Bickering
Ignoring
Hating
Please keep in mind
We all are the same
Beneath the skin.
I speak to you of anthropology,
A big word that encompasses all of humanity
And with this, I’d like to share
A glimmer of knowledge.
This is the call of my people
The call of those who stay up all night
Trying to perfect art
The workers in the coal mines just trying to get by,
The street cleaners
The day laborers
The muscles
The artists
and the brains.
Without each and every one of you,
This world is not the same.
So when you’re going about your day,
Please keep in mind
That today is the last day for some
And speak with love in mind.
Please fill your dance card
With love and light and sounds
That make you happy and keep your inner spark
From burning out.
Only you can prevent depression.
Only you can help a stranger in need.
Only you can make this life worth living.
Only you must believe
That while we vary slightly from sea to shining sea,
Beneath the hair,
Beneath the freckles,
Beneath the skin,
We are all humanity.
Go with the day and celebrate
Your call to shining arms
Because you are
The sun amidst the stars.
That spark of life that made us all
Is deep inside of you.
Please, my friend, be gentle,
And be honest, and be true.
Remember you are larger than what you think you are
You are the inside of a shining star.
