Regarding Mourning

by Christine Rodgers

What I would like –

what I would like

to see is a

National day of

Mourning for

children who are

hungry –   their small

stomachs growling

continuously.

What I would like

to see is a day

when we remember

refugees – the millions

of displaced people –

the millions of

homeless people the

world over.   What

I would like to see

is a day of mourning

for what we are doing

to this planet – to the

trees and the air and

the rivers of dead fish.

What I would like to

see is a day of silence –

a day of profound

silence when we simply

mourn.   Everything.

June 2004

Christine Rodgers is an actor and writer living in San Francisco, California, who considers both acting and writing to be forms of giving witness and of praying. She is a regular contributor to The Witness , and may be reached by email at tallpilgrim12@hotmail.com .