Humans and Angels
Bathed in sunshine
The body of the earth convulsed
Heaving and shaking, rising and falling
Terrorising Port au Prince
And scattering its people like ants
On a peaceful morning
A wilful volcano
Rained down fear and filthy ash
Spewing pumice teardrops over the innocent
On sunny days in Europe
Mankind tore itself apart
Pulling back the doors of cattle trucks
Designed to hold cargoes of beings
Selected for extermination
On Boxing Day
A tsunami roared across the Indian ocean
Pushing man, beast and mountain aside
Its ugly hump-back wave
Bringing death, disease and destruction
Those were the days when we said
"God is dead… There is no God”
Because it seemed like that
But through the gloom
We saw sacred people
Walking among the sick and dying
Bringing comfort in despair
And in those darkest hours
When sorrowing souls envied the dead
Humans became angels
In place of death and mourning
Crusts of bread and drops of water
Were gifts from the gods
Then the gestures of the gentle
Pierced the shadows
Lighting up the timeless universe
With the radiance of compassion
The exquisite love of the Divine
Came to us, saying
Fear no more
The sorrow will end
You are all beloved
And none will be forgotten