The Path to Peace (villanelle poem) by Alison McBain

The chaos of the world will never cease
beating at our sanity through the nights and days.
Within ourselves is where we look for peace
 
to face the scorn, the not-good-enoughs, the hate
piled onto us for rainbows and cultures and races--
the chaos of the world will never cease
 
to amaze me, even though I come late
to this land. We’re starting over, finding the way
within ourselves. It’s where we look for peace
 
in the midst of difference, find a fate
better than the death of our voices, when we pray away
the chaos of the world that will never cease,
 
but we can cease to invoke chaos. Set straight
the haters, the naysayers, and tell them, maybe today,
within ourselves is where we look for peace
 
instead of broken pieces, om mani padme hum the irate
into Zen, my shouts into smiles, your nays into yays.
The chaos of the world will never cease,
but within ourselves is where we can finally look for peace.

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About Alison McBain
Alison McBain runs a poetry group for AWCS on the third Wednesday night of the month (Poets' Roundtable). When not writing, she draws all over the walls of her house with the enthusiastic help of her kids.