Glasgow Sunrise

Watch the sun emerging through The dusky skies of Glasgow Carefully and with Reverence The working heart of Scotland Beating to its own pulse Situated on the River Clyde One of the largest seaports In Britain The Scottish Enlightenment Took hold here in the 18th century Great minds considered how Reasonable human beings Could create a world for The betterment of all The University of Glasgow Founded in 1451 Is still among the finest in the world For Arts and Sciences Law, Engineering, Medicine The hard working men and women Who make Glasgow their home Come from the deepest roots Of all that it means to be Scottish Their ancestors have inhabited This land For thousands and thousands And thousands Of years They will not be stepped on And spit out By those who would exploit them For less than honorable Ends They are called upon now In this 21st century To find a way To bring health and prosperity To an ailing world Being consumed in the fires of its own Delusional Greed Glaswegians keep their eyes Focused On what is honest and true What is good for the old And good for the young The weak and the poor What is fair What is decent And what is cruel Enlightenment Education Hard work Compassion Truth These are not words To be taken lightly When Glasgow speaks The world must take notice. ~ Laurence Overmire (Previously published in The Ghost of Rabbie Burns: An American Poet's Journey Through Scotland, Indelible Mark Publishing,2016)