April 8

PAD Day 8 – Dare to Care

dVerse, Free Verse, love poems, PAD 2015, poems, Poetry

24  comments

When someone you love is diagnosed with dementia as a caregiver your own life gets turned inside out as well. In fact probably even more as the caregiver. But really who knows? All of us are having our own experiences through our personal realities. Who are any of us to say what's real or not real in any given moment for anyone else. 

For me poetry and music have been consistent ways to examine emotions and personal growth the experience gifts me. Recently, I have found myself, once again, pulling at the threads my emotions through poetry. Some how by placing one word next to another I am able to find peace with grief. But even more powerful, I have been able to unravel the gift of the journey. 

Here are two of my most recent poems:

a cardinal rests
it’s frozen reflection
~ encapsulated
your colorful life stilled
in a lake of memories

image of guitar from the neck with the poem Sing Me overlaid.

Dare to Care

hands-compassion

It was on the news again
another kid shot of by a cop
who feared
for his life or of African Decent.
Unfair to say?
Unfair a life is gone and the video plays
over and over.
Again
we bend at this crossroad
is it fear, is it racism?

It was on the news again
another hostage kneeling
at the feet of radical belief.
God or Country
as if they are one in the same.
Unfair to say?
Unfair to hold our breath and watch
over and over.
Again
we bend at this crossroad
is it fear, is it origin?

It was on the news again
this hate we spew
this venom that poisons
filling us will a plague
Unfair to say?
Unfair to hear only one story to lift our day
over and over.
Again
we bend at this crossroad
is this all we will be, if this is all we see?

Dare we could be more than our fears.
Dare we could be greater than where we began.
Dare we could be a headliner of a magnificent niche.

 

In addition to Poem a Day this poem is hanging out with the other poems and poets of dVerseOLN.

About the author

Creator of sounds. Poet on an energetic journey with words. Explorer of Frequencies.


 

Delaina J Miller

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  • The world is full of hatred and prejudice.. Its all over the news… war.. corruption.. all sorts of evil..!!
    Loved the message your poem conveys… We must dare to bring a difference!!
    xoxo

  • I find that we are so quick to hate, and what’s even worse we let it spread into virulent prejudice. To hate a person never justify a hate that spread to a group with similar attributes.

  • This poem spoke to me, especially the “is this all we will be, if this is all we see?” line. I started off studying journalism in college but eventually changed my major because I couldn’t stand the negativity. They literally teach students “if it bleeds, it leads.” I wish I were kidding…

    You know the Ghandi quote, “Be the change you wish to see in the world”? Well, instead of helplessly consuming the media’s negativity, I think we should work on being the positive headline we want to read.

    Sorry for the rant. Like I said, this poem deeply resonated with me. Well done.

    • Alex;
      Thank you so much for comment! I am glad this poem resonated with you, even more so because it means that there are many of us that realize we need to be the feel good story that fills up the news. Cheers!

  • Yes. Beheading people for their beliefs is horrible, people executing law enforcement offices because of what they are, shooting young people, abuse of women, children, animals, the elderly….it seems it has gone on for such a long time but the media bounces it about more than necessary. You are truly right in that we do need to care more for and about each other and to find a better outlet. Very well said in this poem.

    • Thank you Kanzen!

      Some time it does seem that it has all gone horribly wrong. But as long as it seems wrong then we can change it. The danger is really becoming passive to the violence.

      Thank you for reading and for you kind comments.

  • It really is hard to watch the news some days, isn’t it? So much violence or hatred, so many disasters. Yes, so much is unfair; and what causes the hatred or the racism or the venom to be spewed? And how can we change things to become more than our fears…..I do hope we find the way. Really a well-crafted, beautifully thought-out poem.

  • I too fear the news dwells far too much on the negative and leaves us with a bitter aftertaste. I do not believe we should ignore what is taking place here or abroad but it should definitely be balanced lest it should beget more fear and more hatred. I like the way you ended your poem.

    • Thank you Gabriella!
      I don’t think by nature we are negative and mean creatures the whole point of the poem was to remind us about what we are and we are more than our fears. Thank you!

  • Hate and violence never seems to end, one thing spiraling into another cycle ~ Hopefully we can learn to more forgiving and generous to our neighbors ~ Very meaningful write ~

    • Thank you Grace! We are totally capable of living a compassionate life, you are so right!
      Thank you for you kind words.

  • I don’t watch commercial television, would never, ever watch Fox, don’t think CNN or BBC are worth watching anymore and feel that beyond a weather eye, the news is best ignored and if there is a topic of interest then research is required across the spectrum if one is t have any perspective.

    It is all worse for Americans though as you are an armed society and one where the media brews the stew of fears, particularly in regard to Islam. Best to get it out through poetry.

    • I don’t really watch the news much. I like to be informed but not inundated. It is true what you say we are an armed society and that makes me sad. Our economics inseparable from consumerism most likely means that fear must be fanned so gun sales and our economy strengthen. But it is horrid logic.

      The second stanza though I use the word hostage, there are lots of ways to hold a person hostage and there are radicals in all faiths. I was not trying to put blame only on one sect’s shoulders. Rather I was trying to show how radical belief actually moves us further away from the very thing we want.

      Thank you for you comment because now I can see the weakness in my words better. Cheers!

    • I do too, I also wish we would honor and celebrate our positive actions more than our tragic one. Thanks for your encouraging comment!

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