Arts & Culture
Preserving the Peace on our Piece of Earth
By Obediah Michael Smith
May 22, 2020 - 8:05:02 PM

Over-the-Hill is Eden,
it is the garden
in which we live

it is holy ground

take off your shoes
when you go through
when you pass by

there are those of us
who are worshiping,
many of us in prayer

take off your shoes therefore
when you go through
when you pass by

where those who
have gone before
are resting in peace

or are wishing to
or are trying to

where those of us
who are alive reside

you know not what we are doing

do not interrupt it
do not interrupt us

with your endless bacchanal
with your unending merry making

that is nightmare
for the peace-loving among us
for the majority of us

it is this Eden, his portion of it,
of which Cleveland Eneas, RIP,
wrote Bain Town

and afterwards wrote
Let the Church Roll on

it is reverence for life past,
for those living

that is often missing,
that is usually missing

when those who are insensitive
those among us
who are unaware
of what is going on
and are carrying on

unaware of what is happening
at the heart of the matter

wanting to
matter at the expense
of all else and all others

wanting to force us
to take note of them

when already we all count
as much as
that sparrow that fell
that sparrow that falls

his eye is on that sparrow,
upon every one of us as well

no need to force him
or us to notice

already you are
and we are counted

don’t think that you are left out
don’t think that you are unknown

no need to be loud to matter
you do matter

take off your shoes therefore
you are crossing- you are
going across holy ground

your steps are being counted
these too are numbered
like our days are numbered

like the strands of hair
upon our heads

as well as those that fall off,
those that fall out

none of us insignificant,
you nor I

given air to breathe,
our beating hearts,

what matters most
we take for granted,
that we’re alive

take off your shoes
where you are standing
where you are walking

the earth that you
are traversing
is holy ground


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2020
2:14 AM Friday 2020

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