A melody in light and dark

I wanted to say something about the difference between the potential of what we have and the possible reality of where we're going. The contrast between light and dark seems very stark these days and life often looks as if all we have is a light at the end of the tunnel.

A melody of love and wonder woven through the hearts,
Through all the dreams and yearnings of the people taking part
A gift to all on which we stand so beautiful to see
A planet rich and green with life, a wondrous place to be

Despoiled with hate and war and strife the fabric of the world
Is rent and ruined, we see this place as swine instead of pearl
Does such a blindness surely mean we have to take a road
To hell with just a hoped return before we grow too old

The dreams our grasping fingers reach toward are barren gold
The lustrous sheen deludes our minds we cannot see the cold
With no more meaning than a children's playtime fantasy
For such as this we sacrifice our future chance to be

Where to from here as always is the question we should ask
It's ne'er too late to make amends no matter what the task
The healing of world begins with not a giant leap
Rather hand in hand we make some promises we keep

Evening

Just about to put my head on the pillow last night and I needed to write this. I found it fascinating that the mixture of thoughts and feelings that gave rise to this could be both so dark and so joyful at the same time.

Evening

As evening falls the night doth bring
A darkness that will quietly sing
Softly in the hearts of all
Until she holds us in her thrall

Then slowly as the eyes do close
What dreams and thoughts may come, who knows
As tales of joy and woe untold
Are freed as soul and spirit unfold

Imagination soaring free
My thoughts will oft return to thee
And there within the night's embrace
The hours pass with peace and grace

Yet dreams that come with darkness true
May not always be of you
As fears that lie within me still
Arise, my very being to chill

And now a moment feared has come
With dark and bitter taste has stung
As wrapt in night's embracing wings
I yearn to dream of joyful things

But soon the sun's illumined light
Returns to banish now the night
And new horizons now perceived
Give once more a chance to be