Beloved Community*

Oh, sisters! Oh, brothers!
Do you see it?
Do you see what Martin saw?
He wanted so badly for us to see,
to abandon the narrow ravines
of ourselves
& look from the mountaintop.

His vision was clear.
The road was straight
& led upward.
The Beloved was near.
Community, yes, that is the longing
of our hearts, that is the balm,
the wide, curved space
of welcoming arms
drawing us
despite our wariness & reluctance.

Why should we settle for less,
for the prison
of our individual barbed wire
cells of brooding
pessimism & nullity,
for the self-imposed exile
from the interplay & profundity
of the unavoidable
& irresistable human need
to communicate,
to tap the love ache
crying for deliverance?

What is that hate
searing our minds,
but the love ache of racism
crying for deliverance.

What is that vacant
cold of our souls,
but the love ache of ignorance
crying for deliverance.

What is that fear
walling us in,
but the love ache of prejudice
crying for deliverance.

Oh, sisters! Oh, brothers!
Martin knew the true desire
of our red, red hearts.
He dreamed a dream
while most of us
awaken dreamless,
thrashing fearfully
against the morning light.

Where is that content
of character
by which we may know
& be known?

“Without vision
the people perish, ”
says the Old Testament.
Are we the dead
burying the dead?

Martin saw black & white children
hand-in-hand. Anything else
is missing the mark.
Anything else is continued injustice.
Anything else is a dying light.

Vision scales the mountain
of love ache, of human despair
& ugliness, discovers
the divine possibilities all around.
Where else can we go
but the promised land?
What else can unify
this divided world?

To be alive
is to be in motion,
to cast our nets
in hope of finding ourselves
& life.

Where are we going?
Do we have a vision
that takes us beyond race,
nationality, gender, politics,
economics, religion?
These are the narrow ravines
in which we lie dying.
These are the crumbling walls
of Jericho that must fall
before the vision of community.

Oh, sisters! Oh, brothers!
Martin is calling us.
Can you hear the sweet,
clear voice of peace
calling us to the mountaintop?
Can you see the community
of humankind
shining in all its glory,
resplendent in its divine diversity?

All else is vain imaginings,
for we are the content of our character
& the unfolding vision of our souls.

Oh, sisters! Oh, brothers!
Let us arise to our highest aspirations,
to that for which we were created,
& meet Martin in the Beloved Community
of the Spirit.

*The title is from a sermon by MLK: ‘The Birth of a New Nation, ‘ Sermon at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, April 7,1957

“Put all your beliefs into harmony with science; there can be no opposition, for truth is one. When religion, shorn of its superstitions,traditions,and unintelligent dogmas, shows its conformity with science, then will there be a great unifying, cleansing force in the world which will sweep before it all wars, disagreements, discords and struggles–and then will mankind be united in the power of the Love of God.”
–’Abdu’l-Bahá

I am forwarding a thank-you for your comment from Prof Laszlo. We appreciate your view and participation.
Best regards,

Mrs Gyorgyi Byworth MA
Assistant to Prof Laszlo