peace

you first learn about peace
as a baby
before you can name
your mommy
it happens when you sleep,
and care for nobody else
in the world
unless they disturb
your dream
or your feeding routine.
you have no envies
and nobody envies
or plans to invade
your territories.

as a toddler you start
to learn that achieving
the blissful state of peace
involves sometimes pain
and the strong hold of your hands
is not always enough
to hold on to what
you wish for.

as an older man
you may learn
to let go
to forgive and forget
so that you are a peace
and at ease with the world
and the people of the day
who make it spin
peace may very well mean
live and let live
and you learn
to leave some space
somewhere for love
whenever it wishes to come
home to you
bearing your grandson
in her arms.