Poem: Taking the Leap

_{By: Feraya Nangmone}

One person’s suffering belongs to each and every one of us
We cannot turn away and say it does not affect us
Each human being is the same as another
The evil kills without any qualm
The noble’s desire is to save
One group’s problem affects us all
We cannot say “this is not our problem”
And ignore them and run away
Trying to survive from day to day
Avoiding the bullet, searching for food and shelter
Stops us from thinking about the future
Every innocent person in Burma is our responsibility
If we do not accept all of them
We are rejecting a part of us which is a part of them
If we can only see how different they are from us
Instead of seeing how alike we all are;
We are not seeing how they really are
Because we are really just like them
Every person wants to have a happy life
But not many people want to make others happy
Everything seems to revolve around us
And we do not care for the needs of others
The Burma Army sees us as their enemy
Even if the regime lasts for yet another decade,
There is still some hope of future change.
Old ways of thinking just don’t work any more
Those who cannot and will not make the leap
Are dying out and new people and new ways are surfacing
A German friend once said to me,
“Our parents were so bad during World War II
That we, the younger generations are now trying to be very good”
So human nature is like that, my friends,
If we are foolish enough to do stupid things
The younger generation sees the mistakes we make
And they think, “What idiots, why don’t they do things differently?!!”
Likewise, we should all evolve to a higher state of being
And people who are clinging to old foolish ways
Out of inflated pride and arrogance
Will fall one day
Into oblivion
And their spirit will be trapped in a dark cave forever
If we try to save ourselves and our traditional or religious values
Out of love, understanding and compassion for all our fellow countrymen
We will be more successful than if we do so
From a standpoint of fear or hatred of others
Who have different beliefs and values from ours
Old ways of being don’t work any more.
Are you ready to take the leap?

I was inspired to write this poem after reading the “Economist’ news article, Burmese Maze”; For Muslims and other minorities, the monks' battle was not their fight.

_{The author is a niece of Harn Yawnghwe, Advisor to the Ethnic Nationalities Council (ENC) and Director of Brussels-based Euro Burma Office (EBO) – Editor}