Perhaps it is time …

perhaps it is time
amid all the hate
to acknowledge that we are not fully human
if we cling to deities

clinging perpetuates the illusion that we humans
are just slightly lower than angels

constructing deities and angels helped early humans
to survive the darkness
venture into the unknown
to control others

constructing deities and angels
created differences that do not exist in nature—
belief dehumanizes many
while it sanctions the actions of true believers

by believing
we humans fail to be fully aware of our humanity
our kinship
our limited existence
perhaps it is time amid all the hate…

Paul Cech has been writing poetry since 1970. Several of his poems have been published as Saturday Poems in the Pittsburgh- Post Gazette and the Thomas Merton Center of Pittsburgh has published several of his poems in NewPeople. Read other articles by Paul.