Yesterday I read an article
while at the dentist's office.
A lighting bolt struck my head
in the waiting room chair.
The dentist didn't have to
ask me to open my mouth,
because of the jaw dropping
article about Mohamed Bouazizi.

Courage opened my mind.
My fear of a sound,
a high pitched drill,
of a smell, the burning enamel disappeared,
dignity begotten through inspiration.
Deciphering courage.
What gives a person courage?

Courage was Mohammed Bouazizi
in Tunisia.
Courage was Ibrahim Kashoush,
singer of the revolution in Syria.
Courage was Neda Agha-Soltan in Iran,
Mohammed Darrat in Lybia,
Courage was Nelson Mandela
and Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi,
Courage was Martin Luther King,
Susan B Anthony, Oskar Schindler,
Anna Politkovskaya, Thich Qung Duc,
Wang Wielin at Tiananmen Square.
Anne Frank, Harriet Tubman,
Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan,
Wesley Autrey in New York,

Scott Olson and Ray Lewis, 

- Wall Street demonstrators -

Courage was Steve Irwn protecting
Australia's native wildlife.
Courage was Gunnar Kassen
and Balto in Alaska!

I vaguely saw my dentist's face,
barely heard about my tooth,
wondering about millions
of courageous people
all over the world
who I don't know.

I didn't go to the dentist
during my thirties
because of made-up fear
that became real.
It is easier to cling to fear!
In my clinging, I did nothing.
There is unbelievable cruelty
inflicted by power obsessed,
power married, insane people
in our world unable to see,
unable to give, unable to love,
to value and defend differences
because of fear.

When winter thaws and wall street protests
return to Minneapolis, I'll be there.
I'll be there and be thinking about
all the courageous people in the world.
Everyone participating for peace and freedom,
matters in tipping the scale,
matters in creating a caring world.
Courage begets courage.

I left the dentist's office,
numb but singing,  "We the people..."
smiling at strangers
in the parking lot.
"We the people of the earth..."