1/17/21 - 1/23/21
Moon
Original 1/17/21
The day goes dark
Light shines o’er head
The moon goes to work
Moving oceans in their bed.
By morning it hangs
So close in the sky
It brings the pangs
Lost freedom to fly.
The dark side is a mystery
What’s over there? Let us see.
New version
The day goes dark
Light shines o’er head
The moon goes to work
Moving oceans in their beds
The orb sits up high
Reflecting the light
Of the sun in the sky
It pierces the night
Sometimes it is full
Or goes unseen
During the lull
Darkness is king
The sun gives us light
So green things can grow
The moon, it does fight
For ocean’s flow
By morning it hangs
So close in the sky
It brings the heart pangs
We forgot how to fly
The moon is romantic
Inspiring stories
Of love in the attic
Or battlefield glories
Though we can’t see
What’s on the dark side
The moon will still be
Controlling the tides.
My Take:
The picture below is mine, I took it one morning when the moon looked close enough to touch. It was also an inspiration for both poems. It thrills me when the moon seems so close you can touch it. There is something mystical and amazing about space. It’s immense and there is always something new to see.
Shadow
Original 1/18/21
The shadow glides across the ground
It follows me all over town
The light determines where it lays
Huddled at my feet, or stretched for days.
My shadow is the shape of me
It’s sewn on tight, can’t get free
New version
The shadow glides o’er the ground
It follows me around the town
The light determines where it lays
Balled at my feet, or stretched for days
My shadow is the shape of me
Sewn on tight, it can’t get free
Trading places, my shadow and me
We’d let the world really see
Who I am deep down inside
With it in control, there’s nothing to hide
My Take:
This prompt brought to mind Peter Pan chasing his shadow. Then I wondered: What if my shadow could act independently of me? What kind of things would it do? I would hope it could do more than I can.
Ego
Original 1/19/21
My ego has caused pain in the past
Hurt feelings equal decisions made fast
Options chosen without a thought
Floundering around til I got caught
Love and pain warred in my soul
I shut my eyes to my life’s goal
Now I don’t let ego rule o’er me
I’m better than I used to be
New version
Ego was a source of pain in the past
Hurt feelings led to decisions made fast
An option chosen without a thought
Instead of caving, I should have fought
Love and pain warred in my soul
The lack of her presence left a hole
I missed out on a lot of her life
Her youthful years were full of strife
If only I had paused for a moment
Thought things through, I wouldn’t have left
I would have been there as she grew
With love, caring, hope anew
This failed decision on my part
Has taught me not to think with my heart
These days I weigh decisions carefully
Understanding my choices thoroughly
My daughter is coming, oh how we’re blessed
Hearts filled with peace, love, and happiness
Now I don’t let ego rule o’er me
I’m better than I used to be.
My Take:
Every decision we make is a new chance to learn. When I was young, I made snap decisions that changed my life. Now, I take the time to put aside my ego and preconceptions, and think things through logically.
Filter
Original 1/20/21
My filter is broken
I say what I think
The words that are spoken
Lead me to the brink
Being polite or being true
What I say is my appeal
With my words I come to
Bring the depth of what is real
New version
My filter is broken
I say what I think
The words I have spoken
Take me to the brink
Being polite, or speaking it true
The words I use are my appeal
With my thoughts I’ve come to
Bring the depth of what is real
I will say anything
That pops in my head
The voices sing
I’m full of dread
My comments don’t always
Come at the best times
Sometimes the phrase
Won’t even rhyme
My words have brought
Trouble before
Twas all for naught
For the laughs meant more
My Take:
As I’ve gotten older, I find myself saying anything that comes across my mind. I guess I’m at the point in my life where I just don’t care what other people think of me anymore. I am going to be unapologetically me, and I’m going to say what I want (once i’m comfortable around you). Watch out world, here I come.
Stigma
Original 1/21/21
It’s hard to have any life
A stigma adds lots of strife
“It’s phantom pain, all in your head”
I feel like I’ve been run over in bed
“There’s nothing wrong that I can see”
Something’s wrong, pain won’t let me be
New version
It’s hard to have any life
A stigma adds lots of strife
“It’s phantom pain, all in your head”
I feel like I’ve been run over in bed
“There’s nothing wrong that I can see.”
Something’s not right, pain won’t let me be
“It looks to me like you’re a drug seeker”
While I sit here, the pain makes me weaker
Not all doctors believe what you say
They’ve never had to live this way
Learning more about other’s pains
Will help us wipe away the stains
Mental illness shouldn’t be feared
So what if it makes us a little weird
Everyone had their own little quirks
The point is, to do what works
Only together can we wipe stigma away
Teach the doctors, save the day.
My Take:
The quoted lines in this poem are either phrases that have been said to me, or what I feel was said internally. That being said, I have heard of chronic pain patients being turned away without relief because of the “drug seeking stigma”. Granted, this was a few years ago, things may have changed. Every person’s pain threshold is different, I live in a constant 5-7 pain level, only because I have become numb to the constant ache, for someone else my pain could be a 9-10 level. It’s important for doctors and nurses to put aside any preconceptions and stigmas in order to treat each individual patient without prejudice. As we learn about the brain, and how it works, we are beginning to remove the stigma of mental and chronic illnesses.
Euphoria
Original 1/22/21
The knowledge that my struggle is ending
Brings euphoria, strength unbending
My daughter will soon be an adult
On that day we will exult
For love will bring us back together
It’s the start of a grand adventure.
New version
The knowledge that my struggle is ending
Brings euphoria, my lips are bending
My daughter will soon be an adult
On that day we will exult
We’ve lived apart almost five years
Her father is (oops, can’t say that here)
I miss my child more than I can say
I’m driven to tears nearly every day
I just want to hold her, touch her, love her,
She’s felt all alone with that monsieur
I can’t wait until she’s in my arms once more
My tears of joy will over pour
For love will bring us back together
It’s the start of a grand adventure
My Take:
This is about the joy I feel every time my daughter visits. Soon she will be out of high school (IKR) and able to choose where she wants to go. We are all looking forward to her graduation.
Telepathy
Original 1/23/21
My mate thinks I can read his mind
He’s quite afraid of what I’ll find
I tell him I don’t have telepathy
It’s just my overwhelming empathy
But when I say what he’s thinking
He stares at me, unblinking.
New version - Don’t tell on me
My mate thinks I can read his mind
He’s quite afraid of what I’ll find
I tell him I don’t have telepathy
It’s just my overwhelming empathy
But when I say what he’s thinking
He stares at me, eyes unblinking
The day I guessed the lotto numbers
Is the spot I made my fumbles
Since that day he’s looked at me
With his thoughts hidden carefully
I think he suspects the underlying truth
But to admit it aloud would be uncouth
How do you accuse someone you love
Of reading the thoughts you keep above
It’s not the easiest thing to do
Thoughts are loud and clear when you’re blue
I try to give people privacy
By desperately avoiding society
It’s easier when I can’t see
Their eyes staring back at me.
My Take:
I am not telepathic. I did guess the lotto numbers one time, right before the drawing. It never happened again. I am empathic, I can feel the strong emotions of others, but I cannot read minds. Your thoughts are safe from me. The poem changed subjects halfway through. The end stanzas are from my WIP main character. She has powers to read beneath the surface.
