Presence by Melissa Shaw-Smith

The year has rocked this world to its roots.
What if for one day each being put down
their burdens, their words of hate, their inhumanity
and breathed in the presence?
Stopped fighting for history, for fears, hopes, dreams
and stood facing the morning sun
letting the warmth of the moment
and the next, the next, accumulate like dust at their feet
Listened instead of spoke, acknowledged truth,
embraced silence.

What if for one day each being acknowledged the fear
and let it go? Suspended beliefs
opened their arms, drew strength
through earth, grass, rock, sand
Found the sparrow singing from a lone bush
the small heart-shaped cloud
Felt the currents of air wash over them, mingle
with the breath, and let the seams unravel
borders blend, walls dissolve
and be as
one.

Presence

This poem was written in December of 2016, a different year that rocked this world to its roots, and yet it seems appropriate again at the end of 2020. The poet offers the ‘what-ifs’ that I’m sure we all have contemplated especially as we reflect on what is going on now in this world. What if each being put down / their burdens, their words of hate, their inhumanity / and breathed in the presence? If we stood facing the morning sun, listened, acknowledged truth, / embraced silence – to listen more than to speak, to actually hear the silence.

And what if each being acknowledged the fear / and let it go? Do I even know how to do that? If we suspended beliefs that keep us locked into our narrow viewpoint. If we drew strength from the earth, the singing sparrow, the small heart-shaped cloud. What if we felt the air around us mingling with our breath so that the seams and borders and walls disappeared until we became one.

Though it might seem an unrealistic, idyllic imagining, I believe she is saying it is all premised on being in the moment, being present to the presence of all that is around us, our unity, letting the warmth of the moment / and the next, the next, accumulate like dust. As John Lennon said, Imagine.