Today, I’m wishing,
Not on a star, but just plain old
Wishing. And so,
I wish I had
A nimbus of hair like
Art Garfunkel,
The ability to
Touch hearts and minds
With words and music like
Gordon Lightfoot,
The style and intelligence 0f
Wendell Berry,
The courage and perseverance of
Nelson Mandela,
The eloquence and grace of
Martin Luther King, Jr.,
The gentle spirit and insight of
Maya Angelou,
The genius and quiet passion of
Emily Dickinson,
The strength and holiness of
Joan of Arc,
And the determination and fortitude of
Marie Curie,
But
As the saying goes,
“If wishes were horses,
Then beggars would ride,”
And I’d have enough mounts
To start a cavalry regiment.
–Dan Verner