Poetry
Changing the World
 Dedicated to Mike Markovitz,
Re-evaluation Foundation
It's about an extreme makeover for this world. 
      I got this friend – Mike? Always a big smile
      Because he is changing the world.
      Relaxed.  Thoughtful. Having fun.
      So what is it works for you? I say.
      Five steps, he says.  And here they are.
First step is discharge.  Discharge, discharge.
      If you bottle up your feelings you lose.
      Lose your energy, confuse your mind,
      Pretending, you’re just on automatic.
      Tap that terror, that rage, those tears,
      Turn loose in a safe place, with someone
      Who listens, understands, encourages you.
Second step: Fall in love with everyone –
      Fall in love with everyone you meet.
      Sounds good, but sounds hard.  It’s not.
      People are really lovable after you pass
      The things that terrorized and frustrated them.
      I know what you mean, Mike, I’ve been
      Doing it years now and it works for me.
Third step: Study the problem.  That’s work.
      The problems are huge.  But I’m a student –
      All my life I watch, I listen, I read,
      I learn, little by little, and it helps
      To figure out why things got to this mess,
      And how we might start to untangle it.
Fourth step: Have a vision.  How you want
      The world to look, how it should be
      If it ever were to be fit for human life
      And happiness, how we want it
      For ourselves - especially for the children.
      Make it impeccable, your dream, why not?
      It could happen, since we all want it.
Last step: Get to work.  Get off your duff,
      Roll up your sleeves, start to build the dream.
      Not alone – we need each other, we need
      People in our world.  But we all want peace,
      Health, happiness, love, enough for all,
      No one left out of the dream – OUR world.
So thanks, Mike.  I am doing it.
      I let out my feelings with close friends,.
      I fall I love every day with more and more.
      I keep watching, listening, reading, learning,.
      I have woven a dream of us all together,
      And I have been working at that for years.
But relaxedly says Mike – that’s good.
      It doesn’t help to get too tense, I know.
      So I smile at the promise of something to do,
      And I laugh and play with all the children.
      I remember to keep getting closer to everyone,
      Love the Earth, life, myself, and have more fun.