Original DDE™ art: “The Light We Carry – 1 & 2” — by: rob kistner © 3/4/26.
—-<§>—-
suppose one day
the people of earth awaken
and war has become
a forgotten language
museums hold rusted rifles
the way they now hold stone tools—
artifacts of an early mind
that had not yet learned
how to live together
could the earth finally learn
the long discipline of peace
imagine the planet turning
through its dark ocean of stars
with no nations sharpening steel—
no sirens climbing the night air
no young faces traded
for the arithmetic of war
cities would glow softly
like lanterns beside a river
markets would open with the sun
Original DDE™ art: “The Light We Carry – 3” by: rob kistner © 3/4/26
children would inherit a language
where the word enemy
had grown dusty with disuse
is such a world possible
or only a fragile dream
spoken by poets
and weary historians
a world
where the night skys
seems relieved—
where stars burning quietly
over a planet
that has finally lowered its fists
but peace
once found
would be fragile—
…like glass
…or frost
…or the wing of a moth
how would such a world
safely protect itself
not through power
power always hungers—
power devours
markets would open with the sun
Original DDE™ art: “The Light We Carry – 4“ by: rob kistner © 3/4/26
perhaps peace begins
much smaller than a planet
perhaps the guardians of peace
would be ordinary people
awake to their responsibility
parents teaching children
how easily anger multiplies
artists reminding nations
of their shared humanity
poets and writers
planting questions
where ill conceived certainty
once stood as the norm
peace might survive
only if earth’s citizens
learned to recognize
the first shadow of cruelty—
before it gathers weight
jnside each person
there is a small light—
not loud
not heroic—
only steady
the quiet light
that refuses cruelty
the patient light
that listens before judging
if enough of those lights
were kept alive—
…in kitchens
…in classrooms
…on sidewalks and buses—
their glow might gather
a slow constellation
rising across the human world—
a beautiful family oh peace
markets would open with the sun
Original DDE™ art: “The Light We Carry – 5“ by: rob kistner © 3/4/26
then the earth itself
might begin to shine differently
its cities bright
not with power—
but with understanding
with knowledge
yet…
if we reached such a moment
how would we guard it
peace cannot truly be locked
inside treaties
it survives only
when those inner lights
P
are tended daily—
when people remember
how easily darkness grows
in neglected corner
even in that careful world
adversaries would linger.
not a nations
not an ideologies—
something older
the restless appetite
that sometimes rises
in the human spirit—
…the desire to possess
…to dominate
…to believe one’s own story
is the center of the earth—
and even then
one truly critical danger would remain—
…not an army
…not a border
…not a cult or ism
only the old shadows
waiting in the human mind—
…envy
…fear
…the hunger for power—
…for more—
resentful covet
restless winds
chaotic winds
winds capable of
extinguishing the small lights
we carry within us
so a peaceful planet
would never be
a finished work—
impossible
Original DDE™ art: “The Light We Carry – 5“ by: rob kistner © 3/4/26
it would be a living sky
of human lights—
each person responsibleui
for keeping its heart-flame
clear
to help illuminate
this world of light—
of peace
it could become a garden
that every generation—
…tills
…tends
…and protects
with patient hands—
pulling weeds
as they learn—
…the language of forests
…the rhythm of rivers
…the pulse of nature
how its heartbeat
is like unto their own
because the ultimate danger
to a peaceful planet
will always be…
the unattended heart
<~>
rob kistner © 03/04/26