“To be truly human:” a poem and prayer for another day of hoping

To be truly human


To be truly human
is to be a light-bearer,
to weave desire and longing,
to feel the pull of the threads
between your fingers, the heft
of hope in moments of fear,
the cords that connect all hearts,
saturated with the glow of the divine.

Yes, it is light that we weave
with a nimbleness that is the mark
of true wisdom, a craft that creates
a tapestry of truth.

Our souls need the subtle shades
to soothe our focus,
as we celebrate the dance of light
alongside shadow.

Darkness does not blind
as much as the piercing brightness
that sweeps away any room for mystery.

Light dances through the leaves
and we pause, we pause
and breathe in this blessed moment. 

--Stuart Higginbotham