Written by Mattie hours after the 9/11 attacks, this poem’s message still matters!
Seeking, making, and bringing peace – within or with others – can challenging, especially during times of conflict and hardship, or when we disagree with others. Mattie’s Foundation encourages ALL GLOBAL NEIGHBORS to reflect, respond, and reach out with peace in all times… the terrific and the traumatic times, and also the trivial and everyday times.
Mattie penned his “For Our World” poem in the hours after witnessing national tragedy, and also experiencing devastating personal loss of dear friends, including fire fighters he was with on September 10, 2001. It expresses Mattie’s vision of humanity as a mosaic of gifts, and thoughts on how we each and how we all can choose to move “forthward” (even during the toughest of times) – with peace, for ourselves and for our world.
Mattie hoped that this poem would be translated into 101 or more languages, so that one day, it might serve as an international passage for peace, and a guide for personal and global pathways to peace.
View or read Mattie’s For Our World poem, on your own, or as a group. Translations and versions can be found below.
Upload your own response to the poem (artwork, words, poem, video, photo, additional translation if not found below…) here:
Video Recitations
Ambrose Catholic Academy – Buffalo, NY
Matthew Jefferson – 2013 cover sung by Billy Gilman
FollowtheMusicians – cover of Billy Gilman’s vocal version
