Pledge

I pledge allegiance to no flag.

I pledge allegiance to no nation,

no tribe, no party.

I pledge allegiance to no bombs

bursting in air,

but to the silence in a day of prayer.

True patriotism is rebellion.

True rebellion is joy.

Cast down the mighty, the masters of war.

I pledge allegiance to the poor.

I pledge allegiance to hemp and sod.

I pledge allegiance to the unnamed god.

I pledge allegiance to the moon and tide,

to sun and wind and what I cannot know.

I pledge allegiance to the rainbow,

to the light that contains all colors.

I pledge allegiance to living coral.

I pledge allegiance to an heirloom tomato seed

and to the wisdom in the weed.

I pledge allegiance to the unborn

curled in their mother's sea of trust.

I pledge allegiance to the dust.

I pledge allegiance to all winged

and swimming children of the earth,

to creatures that crawl or come out at night,

to all my relations who wait to take birth,

to brothers, sisters, four-legged and two.

I pledge allegiance to you.




This poem is in the new book, Nectar Of This Breath