Build a bridge

This poem was inspired by Maya Stein’s “One of us”

The gap is getting wider

The water filling the space growing more tumultuous

It’s getting harder to see how we might build a bridge

Questioning whether we even want to

We’ve built many bridges before

Across rivers, bays, even parts of unknown open seas

But it seems that knowledge is no more

We no longer know how to live in harmony

There are so many that need to be built

It’s a little overwhelming to think about

They’ll each be as unique as a patch on a quilt

And some will be maliciously taken out

We need these bridges to be built stronger than ever before

As the gap spans beyond the largest of oceans

We have to work together, unlock the door

And go through all the difficult, uncomfortable motions

The first step is sparking a conversation

Or making a pleasant observation

No step is too small

As long as we step away from the wall

And toward one another

The gap is getting wider

And the water more tumultuous

But I hold out hope that we each take a step back towards one another

And hold each other in this unknown space

With open, honest, compassionate grace