We, this people, on a small and lonely planet
Traveling through casual space
Past aloof stars, across the way of indifferent suns
To a destination where all signs tell us
It is possible and imperative that we learn
A brave and startling truth

And when we come to it
To the day of peacemaking
When we release our fingers
From fists of hostility
And allow the pure air to cool our palms

When we come to it
When the curtain falls on the minstrel show of hate
And faces sooted with scorn are scrubbed clean
When battlefields and coliseum
No longer rake our unique and particular sons and daughters
Up with the bruised and bloody grass
To lie in identical plots in foreign soil

When the rapacious storming of the churches
The screaming racket in the temples have ceased
When the pennants are waving gaily
When the banners of the world tremble
Stoutly in the good, clean breeze

When we come to it
When we let the rifles fall from our shoulders
And children dress their dolls in flags of truce
When land mines of death have been removed
And the aged can walk into evenings of peace
When religious ritual is not perfumed
By the incense of burning flesh
And childhood dreams are not kicked awake
By nightmares of abuse

When we come to it
Then we will confess that not the Pyramids
With their stones set in mysterious perfection
Nor the Gardens of Babylon
Hanging as eternal beauty
In our collective memory
Not the Grand Canyon
Kindled into delicious color
By Western sunsets

Nor the Danube, flowing its blue soul into Europe
Not the sacred peak of Mount Fuji
Stretching to the Rising Sun
Neither Father Amazon nor Mother Mississippi who, without favor,
Nurture all creatures in the depths and on the shores
These are not the only wonders of the world

When we come to it
We, this people, on this minuscule and kithless globe
Who reach daily for the bomb, the blade and the dagger
Yet who petition in the dark for tokens of peace
We, this people on this mote of matter
In whose mouths abide cankerous words
Which challenge our very existence
Yet out of those same mouths
Come songs of such exquisite sweetness
That the heart falters in its labor
And the body is quieted into awe

We, this people, on this small and drifting planet
Whose hands can strike with such abandon
That in a twinkling, life is sapped from the living
Yet those same hands can touch with such healing, irresistible tenderness
That the haughty neck is happy to bow
And the proud back is glad to bend
Out of such chaos, of such contradiction
We learn that we are neither devils nor divines

When we come to it
We, this people, on this wayward, floating body
Created on this earth, of this earth
Have the power to fashion for this earth
A climate where every man and every woman
Can live freely without sanctimonious piety
Without crippling fear

When we come to it
We must confess that we are the possible
We are the miraculous, the true wonder of this world
That is when, and only when
We come to it.

We, this people, on a small and lonely planet:

The speaker refers to humanity as a collective, emphasizing our shared existence on Earth, characterized as both small and isolated in the vast cosmos.

Traveling through casual space:

Describes humans as travelers moving through space casually, highlighting the insignificance of our journey in the vastness of the universe.

Past aloof stars, across the way of indifferent suns:

The journey takes us past distant stars and suns that seem indifferent or unconcerned about our existence.

To a destination where all signs tell us:

Suggests a destination or a realization that various indicators guide us toward.

It is possible and imperative that we learn:

Emphasizes the necessity and feasibility for humanity to acquire knowledge or a significant truth.

A brave and startling truth:

Describes this truth as courageous and surprising, suggesting it may challenge established perspectives.

And when we come to it:

Shifts to a future moment when humanity attains or comprehends this truth.

To the day of peacemaking:

Envisions a future characterized by the pursuit of peace.

When we release our fingers from fists of hostility:

Metaphorically, humanity relinquishes aggressive tendencies and embraces peace.

And allow the pure air to cool our palms:

Implies a calming and serene atmosphere replacing hostility.

When we come to it:

Reiterates the pivotal moment of realization and change.

When the curtain falls on the minstrel show of hate:

Metaphorically refers to the end of performances promoting hatred, possibly alluding to racial prejudice.

And faces sooted with scorn are scrubbed clean:

Describes a cleansing of faces marked by scorn and disdain.

When battlefields and coliseum:

Symbolic places of conflict and violence.

No longer rake our unique and particular sons and daughters:

Envisions an end to wars claiming the lives of individual and unique individuals.

Up with the bruised and bloody grass to lie in identical plots in foreign soil:

No more sending people to foreign lands to lie in unmarked graves, suggesting an end to wars and loss.

When the rapacious storming of the churches:

Describes the aggressive intrusion into religious spaces.

The screaming racket in the temples have ceased:

The end of noisy and disruptive activities in places of worship.

When the pennants are waving gaily:

Imagines a celebratory atmosphere with flags waving joyfully.

When the banners of the world tremble stoutly in the good, clean breeze:

Flags representing different nations fluttering proudly in a positive breeze.

When we come to it:

Reiterates the moment of realization and transformation.

When we let the rifles fall from our shoulders:

The laying down of weapons, a symbolic gesture of embracing peace.

And children dress their dolls in flags of truce:

Symbolizing a peaceful and reconciled play.

When land mines of death have been removed:

The removal of deadly explosives, indicating a safer world.

And the aged can walk into evenings of peace:

Elders can enjoy peaceful twilight years without fear or conflict.

When religious ritual is not perfumed by the incense of burning flesh:

A shift from violent and sacrificial religious practices.

And childhood dreams are not kicked awake by nightmares of abuse:

Children are free from abusive and traumatic experiences.

When we come to it:

Reiterates the transformative moment.

Then we will confess that not the Pyramids:

Acknowledges that monumental achievements like the Pyramids are not the only wonders.

With their stones set in mysterious perfection:

Describes the intricate construction of the Pyramids.

Nor the Gardens of Babylon hanging as eternal beauty in our collective memory:

Other historical wonders are not the sole sources of eternal beauty.

Not the Grand Canyon kindled into delicious color by Western sunsets:

Natural wonders, like the Grand Canyon, are not the only sources of beauty.

Nor the Danube, flowing its blue soul into Europe:

Rivers and landscapes are not the only wonders.

Not the sacred peak of Mount Fuji stretching to the Rising Sun:

Natural landmarks like Mount Fuji are not the only wonders.

Neither Father Amazon nor Mother Mississippi who, without favor, nurture all creatures:

Rivers are not the only wonders; they nurture without discrimination.

In the depths and on the shores:

Describing the all-encompassing influence of rivers.

These are not the only wonders of the world:

Reiterating that traditional wonders are not the sole wonders.

When we come to it:

Emphasizes the crucial moment of realization.

We, this people, on this minuscule and kithless globe:

Reinforces the collective identity of humanity on the small and insignificant Earth.

Who reach daily for the bomb, the blade, and the dagger:

Acknowledges humanity’s capacity for destruction and violence.

Yet who petition in the dark for tokens of peace:

Despite our violent tendencies, we also seek peace in our hearts.

We, this people on this mote of matter:

The metaphor of Earth as a tiny speck in the cosmos.

In whose mouths abide cankerous words:

Acknowledges the negativity and harm in human speech.

Which challenge our very existence:

Negative words and actions that pose a threat to humanity.

Yet out of those same mouths:

Despite negativity, there is a capacity for goodness.

Come songs of such exquisite sweetness:

Despite negativity, humans can create beautiful and uplifting expressions.

That the heart falters in its labor:

The impact of beautiful expressions on the human heart.

And the body is quieted into awe:

The effect of beauty on the entire being, inducing a sense of awe.

We, this people, on this small and drifting planet:

Reiterating humanity’s shared existence on Earth.

Whose hands can strike with such abandon:

Acknowledges human capacity for destructive actions.

That in a twinkling, life is sapped from the living:

Describes the swift and destructive power of human actions.

Yet those same hands can touch with such healing, irresistible tenderness:

Contrasts destructive actions with the potential for healing and tenderness.

That the haughty neck is happy to bow:

Describes the humbling effect of kindness.

And the proud back is glad to bend:

Acknowledges the positive impact of humility.

Out of such chaos, of such contradiction:

Despite the chaos and contradictions within humanity.

We learn that we are neither devils nor divines:

Recognizes the complexity of human nature, neither wholly evil nor divine.

When we come to it:

Reiterates the transformative moment.

We, this people, on this wayward, floating body:

Describes humanity on Earth as wayward and floating.

Created on this earth, of this earth:

Emphasizes the earthly origin and composition of humanity.

Have the power to fashion for this earth:

Recognizes the human capacity to shape and influence the world.

A climate where every man and every woman can live freely:

Envisions a world where everyone can live without constraints.

Without sanctimonious piety, without crippling fear:

Imagines a world free from self-righteousness and paralyzing fear.

When we come to it:

Reiterates the transformative moment.

We must confess that we are the possible:

Acknowledges human potential for positive change.

We are the miraculous, the true wonder of this world:

Affirms that humanity itself is a miracle and a wonder.

That is when, and only when we come to it:

Emphasizes that the realization is the key to positive change.