“We can sing all sorts of militant songs,
but if we can’t bridge those oceans
of misunderstanding between human beings,
we’re not going to get this world together”

by Pete Seeger¹

I

The empty thought turns
to the body
and says, "Hey! Fill ME!
Fill me,.. please!"

The body does not reply or turn from its path of being.
It knows only this path.

The empty thought turns
to the mind
and says, "Hey! Fill ME!
Fill me,.. please!"

The mind replies, "you are as full as you can be."
It returns to its path.

The empty thought turns
inward
and chews its lip
finds its inner weight
resting at the bottom of time.

II

The weighty thought turns
to the body
and says, "Hey, consider this,
do not fill yourself with empty food.

The body does not reply at first
but turns slowly to another path of being.

The weighty thought turns
to the mind
and says, "I want more, fill me!
Fill me,.. please?"

The mind replies, "you are as full as you can be."
It returns to its path.

The weighty thought turns
inward
and chews its lip
finds its inner weight
resting at the top of time.

It considers this
as eternity
and sits quiet
within this peaceful forever.