Prelude





When I was in college I majored in education, so the intellectual, physical, and spiritual welfare of children is never far from my heart. It seems almost trite, and certainly obvious to say that children are humanity's future. What happens to our species, will to a large extent depend on how well prepared our children are for this wonderful adventure we call life. When governments spend the money of those they govern, there often appears to be a remarkable amount of waste and completely unsound expenditure on various types of nonsense. I believe education is an area where wise spending is a very good investment. I was thinking about what is going on in our schools when this poem occurred to me. It is dedicated to all children everywhere.







A Child




Step quick now for

a new race commences !

the soul prepares

for new lessons on

love and compassion

and sometimes perfection


A child is born this day

with eyes shining that

eerie light

still blinded

from being in the

presense of creation


Potential genius intrusted

to wondering caretakers

while cats cry

and sins are forgiven

magical incarnation is evident

to old people wise in

the creators way for

they are close to both

the beginning and the end


first the body

and then the spirit

are insidiously chained

by ghouls of pretense

and artifice

a child tangled by webs

woven by callous society


The spirit hides deep and quiet

waiting for the miracle

of rebirth and remembrance

for all must be born anew


The moment steals upon us

as a thief in the darkness

we see a sunrise

and realize our holiness

we see the cherry blossom

and become all cherry blossoms

we see the stars

and become one with

all that is

and for a few divine seconds

know without doubt

our immortality

holy and sure



Gareth Crispell (c) June 1998






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