Poetry

It Won’t Make A Difference
By Julia A. Keirns

Published in The Flicker Magazine in 1997

If I recycle just one pop can it won’t make a difference.
But if I recycle one pop can
And you recycle one pop can
And everyone we know recycles one pop can
Then we won’t be recycling just one pop can
We will be recycling a whole lot of pop cans
And a whole lot of pop cans will make a difference.

If I plant just one tree it won’t make a difference.
But if I plant one tree
And you plant one tree
And everyone we know plants one tree
Then we won’t be planting just one tree
We will be planting a whole lot of trees
And a whole lot of trees will make a difference.

If I do just one thing to save the earth it won’t make a difference.
But if I do one thing
And you do one thing
And everyone we know does one thing
Then we won’t be doing just one thing to save the earth
We will be doing a whole lot of things to save the earth
And a whole lot of things will make a difference.

(added later…)

If I smile at one person… Wait.
If I smile at one person it will make a difference.
Why don’t you try to make a difference?

Copyright © Julia A. Keirns

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