A poem written during a troubling time in my life when I needed to rediscover what faith really was to me.

Freedom of the soul

Let there be peace in all of the world
So that I may bathe my soul in Her open fields
And sip from her flowing springs
Only then shall I be free of the shackles of humanity

But I know this cannot be so
For man will never be at peace
For man not only destroys her land
But they also destroy each other

Their fights go on throughout the years
Always taking away from the weak
Pride burns homes and spills innocent blood
Pointless destruction that never ends

This is why I wish for an end
I want to go to the land of free souls
Where I can be one with nature
Without the hinderance of man's interference

May all be forgiven from my previous life
So that I may seek my journies end
And under Her eyes live free
   To live forever...
         In perfect...
               Harmony...

Tommie Smith 12/1/04