If I Could

If I could teach the world religion
I would say that I have seen God's face
in the eyes of children and heard His
voice in their laughter

If I could teach young women
the true meaning of beauty
I would take the mirror from their faces
and hold it up to their hearts

If I could teach my father pain
I would show him my bruised soul
the one I used to shield my mother
after she had become his punching bag

If I could I would teach humanity love
I would allow them to discover it
in the sound of my mother's voice
and see it in the look of my mother's face

If I could teach adults to look upon
the world as children do;
playing in curiosity and discovering
the very beauty of - what is

If I could teach myself to love again
I'd look for it in the depths of my heart
I would learn to be brave enough
to share it with you tonight

If I could teach the world how to love
I would take orphaned children
and protect and nurture them
in my vacant womb

If I could I would teach the world that man
is my brother and woman is my sister
I would teach that loyalty is rooted in unity
that together we can coexist in hope

If I could I would teach the world
that labia are not meant to be sewn
clitorises not meant to be cut and
honor not meant to be taught with showers of acid
on a young bride's face

If I could I would teach man
that an act of violence upon my sister
is an act of violence upon me and
I refuse to be the subject of that violence any longer

If I could I would teach the world
that the blood coursing through my veins
also runs through the veins of the children of the Diaspora
and that I see Haiti when I look into the mirror

If I could teach the world empathy
I would ask that we not look upon our lives in woe
But instead see the power bestowed upon us
to aid the world in change

If I could I would teach the world
that every moment, good or bad
has brought you here; to this very place
to share in this unique moment