by Francisco Gomes de Matos, a peace linguist from Recife, Brazil

When a Hawaian volcano erupts
It is geologically natural, we would say
But when human violence erupts
It may be destructively tragic. Let´s pray

Every time a volcano erupts
May that also be a reminder
that when human killing erupts
potential killers get blinder

From volcanic eruptions most human beings are free
But to aggression, humiliation, and suffering all of us may be exposed
What individual and collective changes could there be ?
Ways of living in peace, nonviolently, nonkillingly need to be proposed

(received March 7, 2011)