JORDAN SANCHEZ

The lullaby I sing to my child
is one of apologies.
She does not yet know what for,
But when I leave,
She will understand 
I am the one to blame.
As much as my parents
And their own.

Adults only get more set
In their ways,
Becoming more rigid,
Yet unknowingly fragile with time.
Like the oldest pine in the playground,
Or a statue from ancient;
A relic of the past that is honored
Only for its life,
But not it’s contributions;
To shatter only seconds away.

But my child,
My most honorable creation,
The world we’ve designed
Will craft you from steel.
An unwavering strength,
An iron resolve
That’s never been seen to bend.

The Icarus in myself birthed an Atlas,
And I wonder if that is all I can do.
So I pass the flickering torch to you,

It looks at home in your hands. 
Bright and relentless,
A flame blooming
Brighter than the sun,
Illuminating the path ahead us all.
We see the fight has just begun.

But the world you’ve opened my eyes to see
Is one that’s always been
Right in front of me.
Children with ever-expanding hearts and minds:
Cookie-crumb covered fingers
Create effortlessly in unison.
Their wonder is their strength
In this uncharted land.
Their optimism is their weapon,
As they walk hand in hand.

Their hope is a gift made for
Each other,
As they march through the sludge,
Cross mountains and valleys,
Sail through rivers,
And step over streams
To the lands of their dreams:
The land we should’ve left:
The torchbearers will finally be free.

written in September 2023 for the Torchbearers for the SDGs Summit by the UN Youth Envoy, taking place during UN SDG Action Weekend.