A BETTER WAY

How much, my Homeland, do we want peace?
What strong effort will we release
To win the minds of every race,
Project the kinds of face to face
Care and concern which wins most hearts,
And helps them learn to do their parts?

In building lives which learn to earn,
We help husbands, also wives, soon discern
Open doors at their doors,
Which say they need not be so poor.
They soon can learn, with their households
As opportunity soon unfolds.

This feeds the poor, clothes and shelters beyond our reach;
Shows the world “a sure-fire lure” by which at last we can impeach
Violent hatred, which leads to war, as others see us as we are.
Far more circumspect than building walls made by fear,
Which walls grow taller year by year,
As we spend billions in our fright, the very thing that makes men fight.

Armies trained to show men how to farm a field,
And raise a cow, as poor enjoy the certain yield,
Would give a strong right step up, rebuild men’s pride,
Take away that bitter cup that mankind drunk, as their pride died
For lack of ways to make a living,
Teach their children, protect their health, limit their giving
The real true base of world-wide wealth.