were i given a room
in an art gallery
i would hang giant pull-down
Rand McNally maps along the walls
the sort your fourth grade teacher pulled down
from a metal box
in front of the blackboard
depicting colorful nebulous countries
we were to learn the name and population density of
when you enter my exhibit
the docent would instruct you to pull down
each bob hanging from the strings
to see the works contained
after the maps are in place
a projection of photographs will begin
over the man-made borders
giving faces to the humanity
contained within
images of people
feeding the hungry
tending to the sick
cleaning oily beaches and garbage choked rivers
opening doors
rescuing unwanted animals and humans
protesting
embracing
loving
making music
good deeds
kindness of all sorts
ending wars
the name of the exhibit
would simply be
The World is Ours