Voices
Last Thursday I had the great honor of reading some poetry at The Orr Street Gallery at a multi-media presentation put on by The Shelter on domestic violence and sexual assault. It was built around an 18 minute video of survivor’s telling their stories and it was very empowering to hear these incredible stories. I read 4 poems, closing with “A Good and Happy Child” which i posted when it was new. I thought I would include the others here:
“A Song of Love and Respect”
My Mother’s Mother was a lunatic
Her father died when she was twelve
She didn’t have anyone to teach her right from wrong
She had to learn that herself
She was raised by her sister and my Uncle Ott
A mean old bastard liked to fight a lot
He would start drinking around about lunch
He was harsh with his words and quick with a punch
So she left home when she was seventeen
With a boy she hardly knew who looked like James Dean
He liked to be in control didn’t want anyone to meet her
When she stepped out of line boy he’d beat her
So yeah she’s a little fucked up
She’s had to go through a lot
And yeah she’s a little fucked up
But tell me someone who’s not
She gets a little skittish if you move too quick
She’s lived in fear of the bomb
She worries about this and worries about that
But still she’s been a pretty good Mom
And yeah she’s a little fucked up
She’s had to go through a lot
And yeah she’s a little fucked up
But tell me someone who’s not
###########
“Define my own Reality”
I reserve the right to define my own reality
And that of others
Who have more power and less compassion
More voice and less insight
And for any hurt kitten who comes to my door
Licking a bleeding paw and needing a reality to stand in
Tall and proud and unafraid
And for any casual passerby
Eavesdropping on my public private musings
My meanderings through the memic garden of delight
###########
“Becoming Whole”
You see the whole absurdity
Of the human condition
And strive to see the beauty
In the life that your living
You’ve overcome the emptiness
And learned the art of giving
And you have broken the chains
That once held you down
You have learned to re-arrange
You are an agent of change
You think, and you learn, and you are
Destined for the stars
You love every part of life
You see the hope and the magic
You smile through the darkest nights
And rise to face the tragic
And you have opened your mind
And reached for the prize
You have learned to feel and grow
You can let people know
Change has happened before
It will happen again
The least shall rise up
The great shall pay for their sins
And you stand upon the rooftop
And shout out your agnosticism
But you love your neighbor as yourself
And live out your cathechism
And you have crossed the Great Valley
And are on the Other Side
You have faced the Great Fear
You have crossed the Divide
You have learned to overcome
Light shines from your soul
You are mighty and strong and you are
Becoming whole
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