Social Awareness : Entry 1

AMAZING PEACE  by Maya Angelou

In our joy, we think we hear a whisper.
At first it is too soft.   Then only half heard.
We listen carefully as it gathers strength.
We hear a sweetness.
The word is Peace.
It is loud now.
Louder than the explosion of bombs.

We tremble at the sound.
We are thrilled by its presence.
It is what we have hungered for.
Not just the absence of war.   But true Peace.
A harmony of spirit, and comfort of courtesies.
Security for our beloveds and their beloveds.

We, Angels and Mortals, Believers and Nonbelievers,
Look heavenward and speak the word aloud.
Peace.  We look at each other, then into ourselves,
And we say without shyness or apology or hesitation:

Peace, My Brother.
Peace, My Sister.
Peace, My Soul.

When I first read this poem I was like, what? But when I reread it, I noticed that what the poet (Maya Angelou), is describing something that we don't have going on right now! She says "The word is Peace/ It is loud now/ Louder then the explosions of bombs". Right now in our world, there are many wars going on such as the war in Iraq. I think what Maya is trying to say here is that there peace all around us but we just need to find it for ourselves. We humans are paying to much attention to all the hatred around us, but peace is everywhere. We just need to feel it. 

This poem reminds me of the song "Blowin' in the Wind" by Bob Dylan. (We're singing it for chorus). In the song, Bob Dylan talks about something very similar to what Maya's trying to say here. He talks about how peace is around us (its blowing in the wind! get it?) and Maya's trying to say the same thing. 

I was wondering/thinking about what Maya was trying to do in this poem. Was she trying to persuade us to make a change? Was she just expressing her feelings about how the world is being plain, stupid and we have to notice the peace around us? Or was this just a poem she just felt like writing for fun cause she was bored? I assumed that it was maybe like a dream or image that she had in her mind of how SHE wants the world to be like! This sorta reminds me of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech. In the speech he talks about how he has a dream that everyone is free and all humans are equal, whether your black or white. And then M.L.K.J. dies and it came true! So maybe if we all try to understand this poem, maybe we all can also make a change!