Building Trust?

Building trust

requires a new belief that my bitter rival

does not currently seek to harm,

let alone destroy me.

We require some evidence

of an act of goodwill

or at least an effort at such.

And so,

we search for examples.

Is there any sign of hope?

Or is it continued pessimism?

Or even growing despair?

Do we witness new offending deeds

and continued signs of intolerance and violence?

We need to trust,

but also to verify.

Where there is no positive confirmation,

we must prepare for the harsh alternative.

As difficult as it may be,

we must contemplate the unthinkable.

In the absence of trust and goodwill,

deterrence is paramount.

Alan Whitehorn

December 23-25, 2020

Alan Whitehorn is an Armenian-Canadian poet and a professor emeritus of political science.