Revolution

Such a lot of talk
about one, not so long, little word.
"Let the year 1957
be the year of Revolution",
said Vinoba Bhave.
And now 5000 years on
and sitting on a bench
in Placa de la Revolucio
here in Gracia,
in Barcelona,
where they too
had their own time of Revolution,
back in those strange days of 1936.
But its not all blood and guts, you know.
Thats all from a different time.
A time when they didn know
that smiling and laughing
were the keys to opening doors.
And what about
the most revolutionary text of them all?
"Concerning the Revolutions of the heavenly bodies"
by that mad old monk Copernicus.
He knew his home.
He knew it was not
the centre of all existence,
but merely one of the few
to orbit his favourite star.
DidnŽt even publish
till after death.
Such was the power of that idea.
He was right though,
it did "change the world".
Only took a few hundred years
and some burnings
by those Roman churches.
Galileo believed though.
How could he not
as truth stared him in the face.
Proof, my friends.
You simply can not argue with that.
He was right
and he knew it too.
Rememeber how that dangerous idea
spread like wildfire,
with all those clowns
taking to the streets.
But we all accept it now,
that little orb of green and blue
away out in the heavens
with little else to do.
But along came those demanding "progress".
"Progress. Progress. Progress towards what?"
You might hear Bucky FullerŽs pal roar.
For them it was their little spaceship
sailing through the universe.
"Ladies and gentlemen,
we are floating in space!"
But with people
driving headlong for the rocks.
Thanks to Bucky and that crew
For once again pointing out
that what we needed
was once again remember
how to steer our little boat.
But learn we did.
And sail we did.
We got there.
Got there because
we knew we could.
It wasnŽt all plain sailing though.
The veil of ignorance prolonged.
Not for long though,
once that rebel clown army
grew and grew and grew.
Just as those baby trees
down in DolphinŽs Barn garden
grew and grew and grew.
Look at those kids there now,
swinging, smiling and laughing
from the arms of those trees so old.
As if blissfully unaware
of those older, darker times.
Funny the way things went,
once that strange story
started to unfold.
The one that kicked off
with Lucian, Patrick and their hero Simone.
The ones that simply knew:
That this place we call home
is the only one weŽve got.
That strange story
of the spiritual, ecological revolution.
The one about that little orb
that for a long time yet
will continue its magic dance.
That 365 and a quarter day, 360 degree rotation:
Our much loved and celebrated
very own little
revolution.


1 of the stories from stories from the sea