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.

“A Brave and Startling Truth” by Maya Angelou is a profound and uplifting poem that explores the potential of humanity to create a world free from hatred, war, and fear. The poem begins by acknowledging humanity’s journey through the vastness of space, emphasizing the insignificance of our small and lonely planet in the cosmic expanse.

The poet introduces the concept of a “brave and startling truth” that humanity must come to realize. This truth represents a collective awakening, a moment when people release hostility and embrace the cool air of peace. The poem envisions a day of peacemaking, where the curtain falls on the metaphorical “minstrel show of hate,” symbolizing the end of racism and discrimination.

The poet imagines a world without war, where the brutality of battlefields and coliseums is replaced by a global celebration of unity. Religious practices are purified, and the banners of the world tremble in a good, clean breeze, signifying a harmonious coexistence.

The verses portray a future where the divisive storming of churches and temples ceases, and humanity collectively confesses that the wonders of the world extend beyond physical landmarks. The poem emphasizes the potential for transformation, envisioning a world where children no longer suffer from abuse, nightmares dissipate, and the elderly can peacefully enjoy their twilight years.

As the poem progresses, Angelou underscores the contradictory nature of humanity, capable of both destructive and healing actions. Despite the hands that can strike with abandon, there exists an equal potential for healing and irresistible tenderness. The poet encourages self-reflection, urging humanity to recognize that we are neither devils nor divines but complex beings with the power to shape a better world.

In the concluding stanzas, the poet reiterates the phrase “When we come to it,” emphasizing the pivotal moment when humanity realizes its true potential. The poem concludes with the assertion that only when humanity comprehends its miraculous and possible nature will it be capable of creating a world characterized by freedom, devoid of sanctimonious piety and crippling fear.

Overall, “A Brave and Startling Truth” is a call to embrace our collective humanity, overcome our darker tendencies, and strive for a world defined by peace, love, and understanding.