There’s a bench by the river
and a bridge nearby.
They wait in the soft morning sun
for pilgrims to stop and rest awhile
before their journeys are done.
The bench is a place where
two folks can meet
and consider divergent beliefs,
convictions held with unyielding demand,
often sources of anger and grief.
Sitting together
they listen and speak
of their hopes and dreams and fears,
and perhaps discover a common approach
to the issues each holds dear.
Then they stand on the bridge,
side by side,
having come to a reasoned accord,
and they walk together across the divide
on the bridge to a common reward.
There’s a bench by the river
and a bridge nearby
where people like you and I
can overcome our differences
and cross to the better side.
Sonoran Desert Writer 