Don’t ditch the poems
for poetry is meant to give us pause,
allow us to reflect upon a cause,
or even to dissect our laws
and issues of the day.
It’s not supposed to unify
or pacify
or calm the nerves,
but wake us up,
inspire a thought, raise emotion
and rouse us to commotion.
Words provoke and hold their power
because they shine a light on this,
our hour,
on hopes and fears and angry tears,
affirming,
that even when we stamp and stir
and rail and groan,
we are not alone,
but are part of a community
where one voice joins another.
So don’t throw it out or frown or pout
because you disagree or cannot see
a poem’s point,
and if one appears to distract or even to divide
by calling our attention to an issue
from another side,
maybe that’s because
it has reflected our own division
and foreshadows our community’s collision.
For these are not calming times
in which we live,
and neither should be the images or words
a poem will give.
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Well said. Poetry often bring to the forefront issues we would rather ignore. They make us reflect on our human condition…often something we would prefer not to do.
Good reflection…