Kathleen Ripley Leo
We are a people
in a bright shining land,
where enlightened love blooms
in every corner of our hearts.
We look to our mountains for insight.
deep gorges, wind-swept plains, lakes,
our salt caverns, murmuring oil reserves,
these are miracles we give thanks for.
We count each leaf in our forests,
every sparkling spilling waterfall,
every fertile geyser and canyon.
We are astonished to this day that
people of this land gave us a first foothold.
A miracle we strive to deserve.
Glory after surprising glory—
a deep generosity from countries
of our first heritage, with whom we fought,
and then became our dear friends.
Who does this in real time and place?
For these 250 years we’ve welcomed
one people after another to our hard won
melting pot, people after people
who sought refuge here as all of us did,
seeking the better life.
We cherish blood of our ancestors,
we know their toil, a field is plowed, a marker set,
a soldier perishes or survives.
Our children bear witness
to these celebrations. They are listening:
Make no doubt. They will spring forth one day
with their own desire to do good.
They will help those to whom we are pledged,
with each bright shining corner of their hearts.