Poetry: History

I lie awake,
my eyes closed,
the pages of history
turning in my mind.

“If I had been in Babylon,” I think to myself,
“I would have prayed like Daniel.”
I feel my heart take courage,
as I think of the hungry lions in their den.

“If I had been a pioneer,
I would have walked for miles.”
I feel my inherent weakness begin to strengthen,
my determination growing by leaps and bounds.

“If I had lived during WWII,
I would have known
what was happening to the Jews.
I would have helped those that were suffering.”

A tear slips down my cheek
as I reflect on the pain
and ignorance
of the past.

Instinctively, I know my time for rest is over.
Wiping the tears from my face, I rise.
Standing tall, I glance in the mirror at my reflection,
seeing myself, suddening, with new eyes.

With renewed courage, strength, and compassion,
I walk out the door into the world of today,
ready to write fresh pages of history
for my children and grandchildren to read.

~ Carri Mason

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Recommended: Notgrass History Curriculum

Art Credit:
“Little Girl Reading (Læsende lille pige)”,
1900 Scandinavian Art
By Johan Gudmundsen-Holmgreen
Danish painter and sculptor (1858-1912)