I Meditate Among the Roses

At the “I Have a Dream” World Peace Garden

At the World Peace Rose Garden, I meditate among the colorful flowers, the roses that honor African Americans, the peace movement, civil rights, and the memory of Mahatma Gandhi.

I meditate on Martin Luther King Jr., a murdered man’s legacy, the red flowers that were laid on his grave and the carriage that drove him there.

I meditate on his soul, on the night he was shot, and the people who marched from Selma to Montgomery, despite the danger.

I meditate on his strength in the Birmingham prison cell where he composed his letter — an urgency for change, and the reasons we can’t wait.

I meditate for patience, too, in dealing with fools and oppressors who burn down our buses, put flaming crosses on our lawns, and try to destroy our unity and honor.

I meditate on this spiritual garden in the hope that universal love will be understood, and truth and beauty would flourish in our hearts.

© 2023 Mark Tulin

Here’s another poem by Mark Tulin: