Marching To The Beating Drum by Jacinta Lou

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The march began with just one child
who yearned to live in peace.
Then came their friends and their friends too –
calling for wars to cease.

Join the children in their march
from whatever land you come.
March. March. March for peace!
March to the beating drum.

It all began with just one child.
Now watch the numbers grow.
Children want to live in peace.
They won’t stop until it’s so.

Join the children in their march
from whatever land you come.
March. March. March for peace!
March to the beating drum.

‘We don’t want to live in fear
of soldiers with tanks or a gun.
We want to see a clear blue sky.
We want to play in the sun.’

So join the children in their march
from whatever land you come.
March. March. March for peace!
March to the beating drum.

March, march, march for peace!
March to the beating drum!

Illustrations by Helen Nieuwendijk

Thrive in 2025! by Linda Davidson

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Australia has been called the lucky country,
Most people have clothes and rarely go hungry.

We are free to vote and have our say,
But is it best to get our own way?

Our multicultural nation is full of colourful people.
We should respect one another and treat them as equal.

With a variety of religion, upbringing and race,
Let’s love one another and show plenty of grace.

Our differences make for vibrant discussion.
There’s so much we can learn from hearing each other.

Try praying for peace as you make some new friends,
And hope for a future where love never ends.

Let’s all come together in twenty, twenty-five,
To listen and learn, then together we’ll thrive.

Image from Vecteezy

Peace by Jacinta Lou

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The fighting is over.
Put down your gun.

Then look around you.
Tell me –  who’s won? 

The cities are flattened,
wreckage glints in the sun.

Look all around here.
Which side has won?

The soldiers go home.
They follow the sun.

They look all around.
Has anyone won?

They fought for their countries,
every daughter and son.

When we have peace;
the war will be won.

In response to November prompt Remembrance Day.

Image from Peace.fm website

Red Balloon by Stefan Nicholson

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As a sleepy Moon yawns, “Good morning, Sun”,

The rising Sun whispers. “Good night, dear Moon”.

And Sally laughs, it seems such fun,

When Daddy sings his favourite tune

To Sally, she is Daddy’s daughter,

Watching clouds seek out the deep blue sea,

to gather drinking water.

And all of this in the month of June,

As I stare up high at their red balloon.

Before a gentle breeze sends them on their way

To a timeless land, where dreams do play.

And when I wake from my dreamland rest,

My pillow reveals, a hollow nest . . .

where thoughts and dreams did interplay

Once night had found out where I did lay,

Until daybreak. As slowly, gently, each one is brushed away

Like cobwebs.  Finite particles . . .

Fragments, from life’s infinite array.

Then throughout the day my mind is soothed,

as other memories come and go.

Of my little Sally, playing, only eight years old,

Too young to see, to young to know

Why her daddy would be gone to war,

Not with the armed forces, but to fight the law.

To provide a new life, for them all to share,

In a land where people really care.

For Sally plays in the dust and rubble, of the Arab sand,

Bombed daily, and in constant trouble,

as others fight for their land.

As her mother tends to her mental pain.

And her brothers and sisters cry out,

for these acts are insane.

Knowing Daddy promised a new life, away from it all.

She said she imagines me, speaking at the foreign podium,

Standing firm, proud and telling them all,

That his Sally is watching them,

to make their judicial call.

To let our family live, with hope, and peace.

And to make the constant mental anguish cease.

(In response to World Refugee Day prompt #3)