I Pray For Peace Poem by VO THI NHU MAI

I was born in the other hemisphere
Raised in the lullabies of Vietnam
Carrying the soul of red basalt soil
Sending my heart across to Australia's ocean waves

Perth is the city of sun, wind, and sea
Cradled me in its wide, blue skies
Where I learned to love humankind
Without borders, without colour, without hate

From two halves of my heart, home and haven
I write this poem as a prayer
For war to end
For children to laugh without fear
For trees to rise and leave behind the sound of bomb
For this Earth, our shared home, to be healed.

I love people, wherever they're from, as long as they're human
I love land, be it Truong Son range or Australian plains
We don't need more blood

We need light, and understanding