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Category Archives: Society

71 Days 4 hours and 43 minutes – But who is counting?

Posted on 23 Aug 2020 by Melba Christie at Poemattic

The world will be watching closely

It will be listening attentively,

as the days go by.

I can only hope fervently,

as hours and minutes tick away,

that all will be said and done,

and that all of us can finally say,

“Free at last!”

Counting are the unemployed,

the sick and dying,

the crippled economy,

the souls who are hoping

they did not die in vain.

Counting are all of us,

especially those suffering the pain

of the loss of loved ones.

Counting are those,

who wait patiently for normalcy

whatever that may be.

Counting are our children

who do not understand

what is happening.

Counting are We The People,

because we were promised

in our constitution

that it would insure

domestic tranquility.

We were given rights.

I am counting the days, hours, and minutes yes,

but I am counting on you

that together we will secure

for a more perfect union.

Only when we work in unison

will we finally make change.

Seventy-nine Days – An Open Letter

Posted on 16 Aug 2020 by Melba Christie at Poemattic

Dear Fellow Americans,

I hope this letter reaches you in good health. I am writing to you because our United States Postal Service (USPS) may disappear for all we know because we really do not know what is happening. Some sources say there is attempt to defund it. Some say they are removing sorting machines and blue post boxes and closing down some post offices. We cannot allow anyone or anything to destroy a service that has been our most valued asset. We value our military because men and women put their lives in the line of fire to secure and protect our democracy. We value more than ever our essential workers like our fireman, ambulance workers, police officers, medical community, teachers, delivery services and food service workers. They all serve us. They all serve we the people. It is time for us to deliver. It is time for us to STAND UP AND DELIVER.

If you still believe in “WE THE PEOPLE” then that means you believe that the USPS cannot be destroyed, dismembered, unarmed, or somehow diminished. The people who work for the USPS are people from all walks of life. Many are women, African American, veterans and people who work hard to ensure that we get our medications, our social security checks, letters from our families and military members working overseas. Bottom line, they too are “WE THE PEOPLE”.

The COVID-19 pandemic has flipped everything upside down. A record number of people are out of work, more and more people are contracting the virus, and 170,000 people have died. We are going through a recession. Our collective psyche has been affected with too many uncertainties. The economy is suffering. The senate cannot decide on a stimulus package or do not want to come to compromise so that the our most vulnerable citizens can receive economic relief. They need to go back to work. Each one of them represent us the voters, we the people, and nothing should interfere with the flow of mail in ballots, be they absentee or otherwise. Nothing should slow down our postal service. We must come up with creative ways of making sure that people know what they have to do in order to vote if they feel it is unsafe to go vote in person. It is vital that we help the word get out. We must start to use our own oversight powers by making sure the congress and the senate do what they are obligated to do. They too have to STAND UP AND DELIVER! The Postal Service Crisis is not a Democratic or Republican issue, it is a civil rights issue. It is an American issue.

We must do whatever it takes to embrace the constitutional and civil rights of all people. STAND UP AND DELIVER! We must secure our precious liberties and democracy. It is up to us. STAND UP AND DELIVER! Do it for your children. STAND UP AND DELIVER! Do it for your elderly parent or the person in your family who has heart disease or diabetes or other compromising health problems. STAND UP AND DELIVER! We the people have the power. The United States of America is not an autocratic or authoritarian regime. The United States is a democracy. The world is watching us, people. The world is listening! STAND UP AND DELIVER!

One hundred years ago the Women’s Suffrage Movement made a difference in our country by demanding their right to vote. “The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granted American women the right to vote, and was ratified on August 18, 1920, ending almost a century of protest. … Following the convention, the demand for the vote became a centerpiece of the women’s rights movement.” We cannot let them down. They sacrificed too much. It is our turn to make “good trouble” and STAND UP AND DELIVER like those strong and brave women did. Please do the right thing. God bless America!

Love, Peace and Good Health,

Melba Christie

Photos by Pixabay

Why we kneel – A Haiku Poem By Melba Christie

Posted on 9 Jun 2020 by Melba Christie at Poemattic

I recently had to explain to a youngster why we kneel. He heard it on the news so much he became curious. So I wrote a Haiku about it. I also looked up some articles about kneeling and have posted the links below.

To kneel or not to

we kneel for many reasons

kneel to pray today

Some references:

https://demwritepress.com/2018/09/30/why-we-kneel/

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/voices/the-psychology-of-taking-a-knee/

http://theologicalanthropology.com/blog/2016/3/22/

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We need to talk

Posted on 5 Jun 2020 by Melba Christie at Poemattic

As a lifetime educator, I feel that I must join the conversation on race and how racism impacts all of us. I lived through the protests of the sixties and remember my teachers talking frankly about racism. I feel blessed to have had such great teachers with such enormous insights. I was lucky to have teachers from all backgrounds. Race to me was basically the human race. I always tried to teach my students more about our common ground but always celebrated the differences with equal enthusiasm. Now that I am a grandmother I feel that I owe it to the to be clear about how racism affects us all one way or another. I feel I have to be blunt at times and not sugar coat some of the realities. It is so difficult to isolate children from some of these horribly frightening events. Social media and the television coverage of the latest horror has been so dreadfully painful. As a mother, grandmother, educator, and simply a human being I have to speak out. All grown-ups especially those who are parents have the obligation, I believe, to have the talk with their respective children. If you are not a parent but have a neighbor or family member with children, find a way to join the conversation.

Mr. George Floyd’s little girl declared to the world “MY DADDY CHANGED THE WORLD” and I pray for all my heart and for the sake of all our children. It takes more than a village. A village can only subscribe to one area. We need to expand the village to include all people and all children.

I have posted a few videos that may help some folks start the talk about race and racism. Look for children’s books that show the culture values that exist in all villages. I just purchased a few books from a book store called https://www.eyeseeme.com/ which is owned by an African American woman whose mission is to promote positive images and stories about African American culture and history. Books have always been a source of comfort for me when I have been confused about something or needed to learn more about a subject in order to fully understand a concept. I hope to continue the conversation with my fellow bloggers and with the readers of my blog. It is pivotal to not only have the conversation but to take action in the most creative ways we can from this moment forward so that we do not have to be the witnesses of plain and torturous hatred. I hope to hear from all of you. What will you do to take part in the conversation? #JointheTalk@poemattic.

Haiku 242 by Melba Christie

Posted on 23 Mar 2020 by Melba Christie at Poemattic

Come out to view

miracles appear

as we get we are all one

My Humble Message to the World Today

Posted on 25 Dec 2019 by Melba Christie at Poemattic

My eternal wish is for peace on earth;

Today many of us are celebrating

the birth of Christ, or

the Jewish festival of re-dedication, also known as the Festival of Lights,

or preparing for Kwanza.

Celebrating life in general is what we all have in common:

Birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, baptisms,

Bar mitzvahs, Bat mitzvahs, retirements, accomplishments of all kinds,

and even honoring those who have passed is worth a celebration of life.

So I don’t get why we cannot concentrate

our efforts on becoming a part of each other

no matter what you believe in,

the synchronicity is evident.

When we born our hearts beat in unison.

We are all amazed at life’s wonders;

when we observe a magnificent sunrise,

or sunset, a waterfall, a butterfly or

a hummingbird hovering over a red rose.

We all love to be loved, hugged, kissed,

and snuggled by our mothers.

We all want to belong and be accepted for who we are.

I mean, is this not the truth?

Our humanity is unique.

We love, we even hate some of the same things.

Let us remember why we celebrate today most especially.

Let us be enlightened.

Let us be united.

Let us reach out to someone who may need a smile

or a simple and sincere greeting today.

We are all born into this world for a reason.

Let us all reflect on what that reason and purpose might be.

2020 begins a new decade and presents

a new opportunity for us to choose peace

instead of war, all wars, any war no matter how far,

even the wars that are embedded deep in our souls.

Let us choose love over hate and bigotry,

Let us choose gaining knowledge

about what makes us different over

ignorance and indifference.

Peace is not only a season or a few dates on the calender

but it is and should a way of life!

God bless you all!

Happy holidays!!

Pure Thoughts

Posted on 11 Nov 2019 by Melba Christie at Poemattic

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought; it is founded on our thoughts; it is made up of our thoughts. If we speak or act with a pure thought, happiness follows us, like a shadow that never leaves us.”

– Buddha

Pure thoughts

rare like sea lions

drift among us

at times, they try to become embedded in our hearts

because we need them to survive in the wildness

of our times.

Deafening but ignored somehow

are the chants for peace

Powers of persuasion

bluntly lie to tie

us up, unable to move or feel

the true grief

of what is missing:

LOVE!

The purest thought of all

Despite the potentially dangerous situation

of more divisiveness and stubborness

I remain inside my world of hope

As I think of hate as fire

and love as water

I search in hopes

of finding

the fountains from which

we will allow the waters to flow

to heal our swollen hearts

and to allow for pure thoughts.

Time Is What We Make It

Posted on 27 Jan 2019 by Melba Christie at Poemattic

Time Is What We Make It

Fifty-one years have passed since the assassination of Reverend Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. America lost a pure soul and a charismatic leader who tried to unite people. Many television programs devoted time to memorialize one of the true kings of justice and equality. His surname is such an appropriate fit.

Someone said that “Dr. King is more alive today.” He certainly lives collectively in the hearts of many Americans and people from all over the world. Many of us can recall and recite different excerpts from his famous speeches. Perhaps what we should remember more is that Dr. King knew that humanity had a life’s lesson to learn. He knew that it may not have been learned or internalized immediately. And five decades later, that lesson is just as pivotal.

We must be “appalled at the silence of good people.” Too many of us continue to accept injustice. Some of us prefer to look the other way when we see homeless individuals on the streets of every major city in this country. This country, the greatest democracy in the world does very little to change the intolerable state of existence of homeless people.

Martin L. King III reminded us recently that the best way to honor Dr. King’s memory is to do something to eliminate the poverty in this country. He cited that there are 36 million Americans that live in poverty. That is appalling. Twelve million children live in poverty. That is appalling. Where have the good people been for the last fifty years? Jonathan Kozol warned us of the “Savage Inequalities” he observed a few decades ago in the poorer school districts of our more important cities. Not much has changed. This is appalling.

According to the census data compiled by Kids Count, in Louisiana, twenty-eight percent of people under the age of 18 live in poverty. Mississippi statistics report 30 percent and New Mexico falls in the third place with twenty-six percent of this age group living in poverty. This is appalling.

Dr. King spoke of the “triple evils of poverty, racism, and violence” and still fifty-one years later we have more prisons than ever to house our violent criminals. Yet very few opportunities for reform and for restructuring the individuals who need help the most. We are bombarded by violence everywhere from the children’s cartoons to television and movies. And, fifty years later, yes, racism is still alive.

Should we be concerned about the time that has elapsed? Well, according to Dr. King, “Time is never right and never wrong; time is what we make it.” So, it is about time that we make good use of the time. We must start a roll call at churches, schools, community centers, and any type of organization that claims in their statements of mission that any or all the triple evils have to be dealt with collectively. We must not only roll up our sleeves but be ready to remove all the obstacles that obscure or shroud the clock of time well used.

Many of us are so absorbed with Facebook, Instagram and Twitter where we share pictures taken with the pink colored lens. Many of us live in solos. We forget the importance of the real life community. We follow people we don’t even know just because they look good or cute. We accept what is posted on social media as the definite truths. We accept alternative facts as truth. We forget that our greatest strength as a nation is our votes. We van be the change. Dr. King proved that united we stand.

History views as prophetic Dr. King’s last speech that fatal day in Memphis. But, his very last words to Ben Branch, a musician, are mind-boggling.

Dr. King asked him to play his favorite song, Take My Hand, Precious Lord.

The following is an excerpt:

“When the darkness appears
And the night draws near
And the day is past and gone
At the river I stand
Guide my feet, hold my hand
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home”

Our nation is capable of making good of the time. We must think of ourselves as a great corporation. The stakeholders must all invest and help others to grow. We must keep our eyes on the clock and make sure that when the time comes for us to clock out that we have worked hard to effect social justice. We must emulate the work of the king of social justice and civil and human rights.

Our politicians need to roll up their sleeves and walk the walk. It is time. We must remember that Dr. King was only twenty six years old when he started his journey to effect change. He won the Nobel Peace Prize and was the youngest person to have received it at the time. He professed economic justice for all. He was here for a very short time; very much in the presence of good and with a great awareness of what needed to be done. We have a long way to go. Or do we? We are better equipped to get more people involved. There are no excuses. Are there? I can’t think of one excuse that would exonerate us from our failure to act now. Representative John Lewis said that Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. “redeemed the soul of America.” We must live up to that redemption one by one.

A Celebration Promoting Happiness

Posted on 20 Mar 2018 by Melba Christie at Poemattic

Today is designated the International Day of Happiness and it is celebrated worldwide. Happiness Day was first celebrated in 2013. It was declared by the United Nations in 2012. it was founded by Jayme lllien and it is observed by 193 nations.

Frankly I had not heard of this day until today. I wondered if this is because today I was very much happy with the things going on in my life. Then it dawned on me. What if someone is not happy on this day specifically? Are we suppose to pretend to be happy?

According to reports I read, we are suppose to spread happiness as best we can. I called up a few friends and wished them well. They did not know about the commemoration. I made a special lunch for my husband. Food always make me happy.

But then I hear that there was another shooting at a high school in Maryland. I thought of the students who must have been terrified. Happiness became just a word.

Someone very unhappy had decided to horrify others. How do we help someone who has become so miserable with life?

I do not want to finish this post on a sad note. I guess we all need a day proclaimed for the celebration of happiness. it just seems to be harder to actually be happy these days. I propose we start by making ourselves happy first. It may sound egoistic but it is really up to me to make me happy. It is the only way others will be happy too. I thought long and hard about what truly makes me happy what really matters. For me it is my family and being around my grandchildren. Painting, writing, and looking up at the blue sky make me happy.

We may be bombarded by negative and the sad and tragic things that happen in this world. But if we keep track the happy moments probably outweigh the sad ones.

I remembered an activity I would do with my students. I told them that I was keeping a FBI file on each of them. It was an acronym. I would share with them my observations of the Fabulous, Beautiful and Interesting things they had accomplished. Without a doubt I would get many smiles. Some would tell me I had made them happy. I think I will continue this practice with family and friends. Hopefully, happiness will grow stronger. Have a great International Happiness Day!! Breathe, smile and be happy!!!

What makes you happy? I would love to hear from you.

My Wishes for 2016

Posted on 30 Dec 2015 by Melba Christie at Poemattic

I wish I did not have to wish for anything at all

I wish things were perfect like in some fairy tales

But if you don’t wish then you’ll never know if they come true.

So here it goes,

my list of wishes for the New Year 2016:

I wish for humankind to understand

that love is what will save us.

I wish for peace, of course,

but moreover, I wish that all of us would want it

so bad that we would not accept anything else.

I wish that the elderly were appreciated more.

I wish I could have longer and more fascinating

conversations with my children so that they

get it, get life I mean, and finally get me.

I wish we did not have to listen to crazy

politicians two years before an actual election.

I wish cancer especially in young children could be abolished.

I wish that real and productive research is devoted to all diseases.

I wish I could live in three places at the same time.

I wish for no more natural disasters.

I wish guns would disappear from the face of the earth.

I wish for privacy in my own hands.

I wish for an equitable pay for women.

I wish for maturity for those who lack it;

youthful thoughts for those who getting older

and people to be at peace and feeling well.

I wish for brotherly love, authentic acts of kindness,

and the concept of passing it forward to intensify.

I wish all my followers, and the blogger community

that all your wishes are fulfilled

and I wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Freeway, No way!

Posted on 22 Oct 2015 by Melba Christie at Poemattic

I just read about little four-year old Lliana (Lilly) Rose Garcia who died as a result of senseless road rage violence. I cannot begin to imagine the shock and trauma for her older brother Isaac as he watched her become lifeless. My heart breaks every time I hear an innocent child is killed because adults get angry and do not know how to control their rage. This is happening too many times. It is appalling, disgusting and sickening.

My prayers are with the Gracia family. I wrote this poem to honor Lilly:

Ephemeral rage

a life snuffed senselessly

a freeway, No way!

Never mind the traffic signs

Speed limits or laws

Basic humanity should rule

no respect for life anymore

Innocent child with

Beautiful Big Brown Eyes

mesmerize the angels

waiting for Lilly

Again

Posted on 3 Oct 2015 by Melba Christie at Poemattic

I hate failure and we have failed as a nation to discuss gun violence. Ninety two people die daily from gun violence on the streets of our cities. I hate that we cannot find a viable solution. I hate that we have failed at standing together to protect innocent people like the five month old who was shot to death caught in gang violence and cross fire. I am sickened and heartbroken by this constant violence. I send prayers to all the victim’s and their families.