National Adult Literacy Database

December 23, 1996

Unity

by David Chislett

I would like to write a poem,
For all the world to see,
This poem is about a five letter word,
And that word is unity.

When I was just a boy
That don't seem too long ago to me,
Everything that was done around our place,
was done with unity.

Then I grew up to be a man
And got on my own to be,
Everything was done that same old way,
With that same old unity.

If you wanted to launch a boat,
Or haul it from the sea,
You called your friends and they all came,
And it was done with unity.

And if you wanted to work on the church,
Or on the town hall you see,
You had help to do the job,
And once more it was done with unity.

But today if you want to launch a boat,
Or haul it from the sea,
You have to hire a truck or tractor,
For there is not enough unity.

And if you want to work on the church,
Or on the town hall you see,
You have to raise money to do the work,
For there is not enough unity.

Now as I sit here with pen in hand,
I'm grieved at heart you see,
So I'll give you my definition,
Of this word called unity.

U stands for understanding,
And understanding must we be,
Of all the need around us,
If we want to live in unity.

N stands for nationalism,
And this we must have you see,
If we want to live with other nations,
In that sweet unity.

I stands for interesting,
And interested we must be,
In all our friends and neighbours,
If we want to live in unity.

T stands for truth and trusting,
And this we must have you see,
We must trust all other people,
That's to live in unity.

Y stands for you and yours,
And me and mine to be,
So let's join hands around this world,
In that sweet unity.