Some stood up once, and sat down.
Some walked a mile, and walked away.
Some stood up twice, then sat down.
“It’s too much,” they cried.
Some walked two miles, then walked away.
“I’ve had it,” they cried,
Some stood and stood and stood.
They were taken for fools,
they were taken for being taken in.
Some walked and walked and walked –
they walked the earth,
they walked the waters,
they walked the air.
“Why do you stand?” they were asked, and
“Why do you walk?”
“Because of the children,” they said, and
“Because of the heart, and
“Because of the bread,”
“Because the cause is
the heart’s beat, and
the children born, and
the risen bread.”
Some, by Daniel Berrigan
Today is Fr. Dan Berrigan’s 93rd birthday! If you’re not familiar with Dan, here’s the Wikipedia page article on him with links to more. Dan is one of the truly extraordinary prophets of our time, an author, activist and poet, and a Pax Christi USA Teacher of Peace.
All of us at Pax Christi USA wish Dan a very Happy Birthday!
Absolutely beautiful! Happy Birthday you fine man of Peace.
diana
Father Berrigan was one of first mentors at Cornell University when I arrived there in September of 1968. He was awaiting trial (held Oct 5-9, 1968) for the Catonsville 9 action of burning draft records, with his brother Phil, and seven others (Br. David Darst, a De La Salle Christian Brother, John Hogan, Tom Lewis, an artist, Marjorie Bradford Melville, Thomas Melville, a former Maryknoll priest, George Mische, Mary Moylan). Happy Belated Birthday, Dan –
Dan, Our first child was named for you — and his life is proving to pay off. He is dedicated to the saving of the earth for all its inhabitants. Some of you has gracefully rubbed off on him. We every one of your precious days and years. Happy Birthday!
The world is so fortunate that you came into it 93 years ago…I cannot imagine my life without you.