One Hand

One Hand

Shackles are broken.
Walls have fallen.
Doors have opened;
It took one hand.

One black hand
reached out to other hands
of every age and colour;
held them in his own.

One frigid winter day,
hope hanging in the air;
One black hand
pledged an oath,
laid one brick;
laid the new path.

But one hand
cannot break apart
ten thousand shackles,
rebuild two towers,
hold the weight
of the world.

Not one hand.
Not one man.