Hi again.
When you find this post, I will have scheduled it the day before. Or, the evening before, more so. Regardless, here is the sixth entry into this Poetry Challenge that I’ve made for myself.
Enjoy!
PS Here is last “week’s” post.
What are the RULES?
- each post begins with the thumb above
- each poem will be individually titled and labeled by the entry number in both the piece itself (at the end) and in the title
- each post will include any background music used to “set the mood” which will be listed at the end of the entry
- each poem loosely exists within the context of summer but is not strictly limited in constructing that imagery. I.e. it’s a summer project but may venture outside of that topic/theme-wise. 🙂
- the goal: one poem each week from the end of May to the start of September under the hashtag: #SummerComer
Humanity is Measured Not in Hate But in Kindness
it was somewhere
along the way
that they
didn’t
have the heart
to say ‘No.’
it was some place
along the trail
that they
didn’t
have the strength to
bark back ‘Please.’
it was in some manner
where the sun
sparkled through the trees
that they struggled
with the courage
resting in their breast
to say “Stop.”
there was something in the way
that the moonlight
glittered on the ocean front
that made their experience
quantify into thousands of
insects’ wings fluttering up
into a cacophony of sound,
the air vibrating with their pressure,
the breath of life that leaked
from their open mouth
spun into kaleidoscopes as they
shouted from the ground,
“Let me free!”
the sticky, black goo
that rose from the tarmac
threatened to take their
existence from them,
but they were strong,
they were holding on tight,
and they never backed down,
grumbling out instead,
“Try to take me,
And you’ll fail.”
The goo transformed,
turning to a face that
they recognized
as painful,
but still they reiterated,
“Try to scare me,
And you won’t win.”
Their expression was harder now,
softer in some respects,
and their blue eyes flashed
with purpose.
“Try to take me,” they uttered with
a voice as strong as Plexiglas.
“I’d like to see you try.”
The goo changed again,
curling its tendrils around their legs,
legs rooted to the ground in a
steadfast position.
The goo curled them into a tight hug,
but they weren’t afraid any longer,
instead they smirked and said,
“Is that the best you’ve got?”
The goo hissed and moved to strangle them,
and they laughed instead,
pulling away easily and
humming to themselves,
“Your weakness baffles me.”
They narrowed their eyes at the
monstrosity before them.
“You’ve fought wars
and sought out pain,
yet here you are,
incapable of taking me down.
Do you know why?”
The intensity sparked further in their eyes,
just as they began to remove their arms,
stretching the goo’s material
as it cried out in discomfort.
“Because I am Loved.
Because I am Worthy.
Because I am Arose in Purpose.
Because I am Faith.
Because I am More.
More than you’ll ever be,
And when I struggle for breath,
When I fade in the dying light,
I’ll still be Strong,
I’ll still know my Worth,
Because unlike you,
I don’t need to tear people
Down in order to shine brighter.”
They grasped the creature’s limbs
in tight, closed fists.
“You can come back for me,
And you will,
But I’ll win again,
Because I have strength,
I have power,
I have unlimited potential
Compared to you.”
They tilted their head slightly,
the intensity in their stare never
wavering.
“But I won’t kill you,
I won’t destroy you.
Because I know what that’s like too.
So I will help you,
I will uplift you,
And I will heal you,
Because that is what you need.
And if you refuse to change,
If you refuse to become better,
Then I will let you go.
Because even you deserve not to be
Hindered.
Even you deserve freedom.”
The ghost of a smile
Lit up their features as they
Pushed down the creature,
Back into its small pocket
Upon the floor.
“It takes more love to treat
Those who crave it,
But aren’t aware of it,
Than it does to easily
Spill apart hate.”
They dusted off their palms,
The ashy hue left upon their
Fingerprints
And as they did so,
As they did,
Their spirit sparkled and they said
Lowly,
“I’ll trust in you,
Even when you don’t in me.
Because that’s the biggest
Difference between us:
You hate, you destroy, you crave power
and I am loved, I create and I
already exist powerfully.”
They slid a lone finger down the side
Of the aching creature’s face,
“And all you needed was the same.
And I’m sorry you didn’t receive it.
For I am here if you change your mind,
But tearing down others to
Build yourself up,
Is not the way.”
They sighed, lightly.
“Maybe one day you will see that.
For now, I will hold onto it for you.”
They began to walk away, but not before
Saying over their shoulder,
“I’ll be back for you at a later date,
And I will hope for you
And dream for you,
What you never dared to dream for yourself.
Rest easy, my dear.”
A torched piece of parchment
Flew free from their hand
And fell down near the shadow’s
Skin,
Etched upon its surface were the words:
Spreading kindness in a world of hate
Lifts all souls that deserve no such fate.
For humanity is measured not in which
All there is light, but rather when there exists much fight.
And no matter what cost,
What they engender must be no less than crossed.
For it is not only how a person acts within a crowd,
But the way they act alone and proud.
Forgiveness is a force that can only be decided
By those at war,
Who crave more,
Who desire a roar.
And at the end of the night,
They can only choose to shine bright.
Because where there is dark in light,
There is light in night,
And they, too, shall never lose sight.
Technical Aspects of the Poem:
Written and Edited: 6/26/2020
Mood Music: “Where the Shadow Ends” by BANNERS ft. Young Bombs
About the Poem: Kinda thinking of Kill Monger and T’Challa in “Black Panther” (2018) along with other related types of events occurring in the world and just having a creative spirit birthed this poem. I’m not sure if it even makes much sense (and I’ve tried my best rewriting/rewording some parts to make more sense, but I still can’t tell ahaha) but it’s what I got for this week and so that will have to be enough. Also, I’ve been doing a lot more lower cased poetry which isn’t something that I would do a lot of in the past, just an interesting thing. I tried to keep the change when our narrator they started talking more and their confidence grew and so the stylistic choices changed as well to match that. But yeah, let me know what you think!! Thank you so much for reading and feel free to share this work along with my others! Stay safe. xxx
RecoverytoWellness 