What my community, my world, would look like if there was no violence against women or children.
©2003 Donna Milner
There is no ‘us’ or ‘them’
Going for a spin (Photo from gemsling's photostream, Flickr Creative Commons)
There is only We
We are one
We are whole
We are the people of the world
And we the Children of the world
Play in our yards, our fields, our streets and parks
Alone, safe, unafraid,
And the only cries you hear
Are cries of laughter as we
Play tag under the street lamps at dusk
Or hide-and-seek in the dark of an autumn night
While the innocent wind whispers in the drying leaves
And the voices of our mothers and fathers call us home to dinner.
And We the women of the world
Are free to choose our own path through life
And if that path should take…
A Korean student down a jogging trail by Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park,
A middle-aged mother on her bicycle down a quiet country road in the Cariboo,
A First Nations daughter, sister, friend, down the darkened streets of East Vancouver,
Or a young woman in Coquitlam to the corner bus stop in the early morning mist,
She goes without fear of attack, without fear of the dark,
For there is no evil lurking in the shadows
And the only difference between day and night is the degree of light.
And We the Men of the world
Stand beside you under the same sun, the same moon, the same stars
And if we should put our arms around you there in the darkness
It is with love… and agreement.
We are the people of the world
All nations, colours, races, religions and creeds
We do no harm to one another with weapons or with words
Because we could not bear the pain.
We are connected, We are one.
We have no locks, no gates, no borders.
In our homes, our communities, our world,
There is no violence.
There is only Peace.
Pray for it
[Donna Milner wrote this for a production of The Vagina Monologues in Williams Lake, British Columbia. It still gives me shivers to read it. Donna's novel, After River, is spellbinding. Her second novel, The Promise of Rain will be released February 2010]
See more of gemsling’s Photostream
Facebook
Twitter
That is wonderful – thanks for sharing!
I really appreciate your checking out the poem. It never fails to move me.
This strikes a cord, thank you for bringing it to my attention
Thanks, Geraldine. Donna’s spirit shines through the words of this beautiful poem.
[...] A community, a world without violence against women or children [...]
[...] Until the assault on women ends, none of us is truly safe. But I believe a different world is possible, and it is the world envisioned by Donna Milner in the poem she wrote for a production of The Vagina Monologues in Williams Lake. She titled the poem, “A community, a world without violence against women or children.” [...]
In your words Cathryn….this gives me hope!!!
I’m from Williams Lake, and who knew I had such wonderful talent in my small, hometown. As a young woman, I recognize these fears and I also pray for days of peace.
Beautifully said, Ashley. You deserve to walk freely in a safe world.
Donna’s poem will always resonate for me. She’s published two novels since, both received well and translated into many languages.