The work highlights the epigraph of the titular poem containing seven stanzas from various Dayton voices. Written by Alice Young-Basora, executive director of the International Peace Museum, the epigraph states, “Peace is a verb. First to be sought within, then to be actively shared with others.”
The poem will be showcased on a plaque at the mural site.
“This project brings together eight voices and each poet submitted a quatrain, which is four lines,” Leone said. “And in those four lines, the poet was answering the question, ‘Peace: Past, Present or Future?’”
She is also excited about the age range of contributors.
“We are delighted to have a teenager from Stivers School for the Arts all the way to Dr. Herbert Martin, in his 90s, who submitted a piece of Paul Laurence Dunbar’s work from ‘Invitation to Love,’” Leone said.
In order of contribution, “On Peace Work” features: Young-Basora (Epigraph); Leone (Stanza 1); Furaha Henry-Jones, professor of English and African American Literature (Stanza 2); Matt Birdsall, poet and educational professional (Stanza 3); Aimee Noel, poet and educator (Stanza 4); Gentry Heflin, poet and Stivers School for the Arts student (Stanza 5); Amanda Hayden, poet laureate of Sinclair Community College (Stanza 6); and Dunbar as contributed by Martin, emeritus professor and poet laureate at the University of Dayton (Stanza 7).
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
ON PEACE WORK
Peace is a verb. First to be sought within, then to be actively shared with others.
We are tapestry of peace
clothed in cardinal directions —
We brave cloaked conflict, ceaselessly
unraveling shadows of silenced stories.
Our hearts syncopate
when possibility is our handiwork.
Our fingers see, our ears taste,
We drum a free jazz symphony.
Let us all find some peace—a steady state—
beyond the greedy grasp of fearful hate.
Let us work together to break vile bonds,
Time will wait as fairness and truth respond.
How can we, with bruises blooming on our spirit,
speak against injustice? Only with the promise that,
when even our memories are mere myth, we will not be gone.
There are no casualties of peace.
We cast dandelion hopes and bumblebee dreamings,
Caught within the winds of the future’s verisimilitude.
Tomorrow we will harvest honey yellowed meanings
And cherish our wish-sprouts manifest, bedewed.
Dig deep into earth’s pockets for a future where more women lead
in every vowel and syllable; vow to plant our peace seeds —
less waste, less apathy, less greed
more gardens, more community, more trees.
Come when the year’s first blossoms blows
Come when the summer gleams and glows
Come with the winter’s drifting snows
And you are welcome, welcome.
Leone, Dayton’s first poet laureate, is particularly proud of the Dunbar inclusion and the project’s overall collaborative essence.
“In this moment of peace with NATO being in Dayton, we get to honor Dunbar through Dr. Martin — it’s very powerful,“ she said. ”Also, we want peace in every direction which is why there is a collective community feel to this work. Bringing in other members of the community, poets and writers, to lend their voice to the impactful topic of peace is very important.”
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
About the Author
