Corrymeela Poem by Amos Greig

He was different from me and yet the same,
We had both come to this place of healing
Because of the pain our homelands had suffered.

Communication was difficult
I spoke too fast and he too slow.
We laughed at our jokes..
Out of respect,
Confusion was writ on our faces.

He was different from me and yet the same,
We both had been victims of violence in
our respective spheres, he because of the shape of his nose,
I because of my religion.

Communication was difficult
Pain was our common dialogue,
Our rosetta stone.

He was different from me and yet the same,
Both caught in violence saw people maimed,
Killed.

Communication was difficult
Understanding came slowly
Followed by different comprehension.

He was different from me yet the same,
We spent a week baffled by the violence which brought us here
A nose? Religion?
These were stupid things to fight over
primitive, medieval all too human.

Communication was difficult
We laughed at our differences
Cried at our similarities.

He was different from me and yet the same,
This place of healing melted away our pain
Burundi, Belfast
Spheres apart and yet the same.

Communication was difficult
It opened a door
We saw a future
Where violence was no more
An end to bigotry and fear

He was different from me and yet the same,
We both had suffered
Had reason to hate
We came to heal.