MY BROTHERS' EYES

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From a billion windows and open doors light comes rushing through,
illuminating a world of countless eyes with each a different view

Light shines bright upon the world when windows open wide,
leaving fewer places in shadow where ignorance may hide

The first eyes we had that saw the world and what we thought was true,
were handed down from older eyes and someone else's view

I was given eyes that saw the world in one simple way:
a colorless flat perspective all done in shades of gray

Though a rainbow world surrounded me, other ways I never knew,
for no windows were open to me that showed another view

One window I was shown and I was shown no more,
it trapped me in a small dark world and kept me scared and poor

What nation, what color, what way was better, what religion was the only one true,
could all be seen through a tiny window,
with even a tinier view

With eyes given me from those I do not know, at my brothers I would peer,
overlooking all our commonness-seeing only through the eyes of fear

But my little world increased one day a trillion times in size,
when I dared to put my fear aside and look through my brothers' eyes

Colors began to fill the space where there had not been any,
and where there had been just one way-now there were so many

I was given eyes that saw the world divided by boundaries and borders that
determined one's culture and kind,
But clearer eyes have shown me now that people are defined
not by the boundaries of their culture, but the boundaries of their mind

I was given eyes that said I must take up arms against my brother,
to protect our interests we must fight.
Now my eyes ask not is it in our interest,
but only: is it right?

Through younger eyes it is now so very plain to see:
If it is not good for all my brothers, how could it ever be good for me?

I saw the care and kindness I know in my own dear mother,
right before me in the eyes of the woman who bore my brother

And where my eyes had been taught to look, and taught to place the blame,
I saw my brother as myself-his blood and mine the same

I looked not long and there it was, a thing I recognize:
my own smile on my sisters' face and in my brothers' eyes

Before I sit and judge my brother who's called in to be tried,
do I not owe it to humanity to look from every side?

And if one believes in freedom and in equality,
should not the same rights be for everyone, and granted equally?

A window on eternity was handed down to me as well,
where all, but just a few, would surely roast in hell
heaven is for those who believe one way-I was told that it was so.
But anyone who can be happy while his brothers burn,
is someone I do not wish to know

The kind and unkind in every corner of every land do dwell,
if heaven is closed to my brother, then I will roast beside him there in hell

The world is not black and white, best as I recall,
and one-size-fits-all philosophies are views through one-size windows
... very, very, small

So many minds are closed as tightly as a vault,
and the only views inside those minds exist there by default

What windows are open to my brothers and what things do they see?
How do they look upon the world and how do they see me?

And who is good and who is bad and what is right and true,
can all be seen through ten billion eyes, with each a different view

And maybe, just perhaps,
all the walls that are hung with flags, should all be hung with maps

We were given eyes of fear, anger and intolerance-old dangerous tools to use,
I will close those eyes forever now and open the ones I choose

So many views are created that segregate and divide,
creating places of darkness where cowards may plot and hide

They create windows full of images that are not what they appear to be,
and as we watch,
behind us things are done our eyes don't want to see

People are not governments, they can't be viewed the same,
we cannot look at the crimes of one, and on the other place the blame

Let us not blame each other for our fathers' deeds. They are things we did not do,
But let us bury their mentality with them when they go, and together build a road that's new,

And see beyond the banners, the veils of our disguise,
and gaze human to human,
into our brothers' eyes

I was given eyes that saw billions of people as a cheep source of labor.
Not seeing that they lacked when I did not, made me what kind of neighbor?

When despair is created we must all be ware,
if desperate acts are to stop, then we must stop despair

I was given eyes that saw my allegiance to the state as a source of great strength and identity,
and that that state was better than any other in the world, Now through wiser eyes I find:
the only state where anyone lives, is in their state of mind

Let it be one where reason is stronger than rationale and every person is a peer,
 where we embrace our brothers, and war is waged on fear

I was given eyes that saw the Good Old Days as the way the future should be,
when people were moral and values were high,
 as was, atrocity,

It matters not where one wishes to stay,
the future will come tomorrow,
-it cannot come yesterday

Unable to stop, the world constantly changes-
each moment a new season,
let me embrace each one and view them all through the eyes of reason

Man looks upon his world with eyes that cry for freedom and dreams of
what he might do, if only he could,
But freedom has, for so long, been so misunderstood

Whatever we achieve and wherever the road of destiny winds,
we are only as good as we are in our thoughts, and as free as we are in
our minds

When it becomes important to us to liberate ourselves from ignorance,
then our own course we can steer,
and be masters of our destiny, instead of the slaves of fear

Though ignorance is a place of shadows and darkness on every side,
it is no place of sanctuary, it is no place to hide

No matter how one tries,
you can't hide yourself in that dark place,
you can only hide your eyes

The pursuit of ignorance has long been held noble... can anything be stranger?
It is not a sign of moral superiority, it is a blatant sign of danger

I will exchange the eyes that were given me,
for ones that see me as empowered, generous of attitude and free

I will close the ones that made me hide from what I did not know and fear my brothers' mind,
and made me a danger to myself and alas, to all mankind

I will look through new eyes, for I so wish to see
the beauty that lives in others, because I saw it first in me

I will teach my children that they are strong and good and not slaves to the fears of others,
for how they see themselves will determine how they see their brothers

Ask who are my people and I will say We
Ask who is my brother and I will say Me

So, united we stand, divided we fall
Some say, God Bless America
I say, Bless Us All!

Let a new window open that shines great light on all lands,
and if tomorrow is frightening, we'll go there holding hands

And standing tall and a little more wise
we'll bless the day and our brothers' eyes.

                                                      Tarlton

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