Could We Be Happy?

Vicki Robin

And we will all be noisy.

We will gather in the streets talking about recipes

and politics and philosophy and love.

We will show each other our bruises with the innocense of children.

Convinced of our safety, we will wear brightness and smile

as though anyone could be a friend.

The malls will be commons of kindness with shops for healing

broken hearts and stand for conversation breaks.

The poor won't be so poor and will take the rich to lunch.

No one will feel left out.

The natural world will hum with life giving itself to life

for the sake of life–just like in the old days.

Every species will have a human who, like an older brother,

helps it cross the divide between death and deliverance.

We will hear the sounds of animals and trees and have the distinct impression that we understand.

We will see paw prints and want to follow.

We will walk in silence, worshipping.

Oh, we will worship shamelessly everywhere.

As we get the morning paper we will kiss the ground

and greet the sun.

We will chant morning prayers in a thousand tongues

right there on our door stoops.

We will say rosaries and make prayer ties on the bus in the morning.

And do business as if we will live a thousand lifetimes

with the outcomes of our actions.

We will admint that we are hopelessly in love with the divine.

Divine.

Yes, we will be showered with blessings and drip with wet gratitude.

We will all have enough. We will all have hope, even the poor who didnt choose to be poor.

Our imaginations will be on fire with "what if"

as though no one had told us to forget it and fail gracefully.

No life will be capped with despair. No child unloved

and crying naked and dirty.

Even the rich will want to live in such a world,

will want to come into the street and sing and drink beer.

And the guards and the prisoners will tell stories about childhoold

until they become brothers.

And that tight place in our chests where our hearts are hiding

will soften and melt.

And we will finally be free.