If you only whisper one word today,

let it breathe in the wind,

let it ferment in the mind

of fools and the dangerously absurd,

let it be heard and rejoiced

in silent thoughtful prayer

and let it be remembered

as it echoes across time,

across our lives,

let that word be the last thing

on our minds

from the moment we whisper

it with childlike hope in the

glare of a new born sun

and the roar of a daughter’s gift,

let the bells ring with joy

as they summon the word,

as they announce the day

when the first thing that crosses

your mind when you hear a city’s name

on the news, is nothing to do

with an act of terror it has placed

on its doorstep.

 

Ian D. Hall 2016