CPTnet
November 8, 2002
COLOMBIA: Morning in Colombia

by Barb Howe

[Note: Howe participated in a recent CPT delegation to Colombia. She
writes, "One night after a torrential downpour with some fantastic thunder
and lightening I woke up and found this poem in the street so I fixed it up
and thought I'd share it with you all."]

Today is a new day

Last night the rains came and washed away all our sins

The violence

The complacency

The anger

The apathy

All gone with the break of dawn

Today the taxi driver will not stop near the field where the latest body has
been found to see if it's someone he knows.

Today no one will be threatened in the port, no one will hear gunshots in
the night, no bodies will be thrown into the river.

Today people will carry books and children instead of guns.

Today the rains will water the crops instead of blood.

Today peacemakers will walk the jungle trails instead of men with guns.

Everyone will come home today.

Everyone will arrive to houses full of food and laughter.

We will eat together and everyone will come to the table

And be filled

While the moon blesses Barrancabermeja with her gentle light

And all the guns are silent.

Morning has broken a new day for Colombia.

The rains came last night and washed away all our sins.