Hello, How Are You? - Corlene Van Sluizer

[Larry Robinson]

Hello, How Are You?

Tears without knowing why
Grief, deep grief for all the dark
the shadow side of humankind that
ends up spewing their disbeliefs on
my being and the being of my beloveds

Grief, for all the wars and all
the epidemics and all the human
throwaways...the un-important, the poor, the brown
the native, the jew, the muslim..

Grief for all that comes upon the shores
of our lives on this precious planet
that we are so readily destroying
out of greed, ignorance and self centeredness.
It is not my problem, it is their problem
Who is the they if not us
Grief,  leaving this planet to my children and grand children

I want clear skies
I want equity for women, for workers, for justice
I want good food raised without pesticides
I want health care that is honest and not
in the pockets of the pharmaceutical companies

Grief for all that is unseen and seen
It is mirrored in my heart.  
Just these tears that don’t seem to have a label
an origin, a reason...some deep pool of dark that arises
faces of the homeless reflected
faces of the abandoned reflected
faces of soldiers in foreign countries killing each other
faces of families in mourning
  I am in mourning
That is the source of my tears
I want a global resurrection and reincarnation
of cooperation
of loving one another
of caring for each other
for non judgments
for kindness
for a sincere Hello
How are you?

	- Corlene Van Sluizer