Esperanza

Deep in the soul a memory
fades and a rebirth
tells it all
It has been a while since my last post. Family illness and life consumed most of my time. I hope to get back into the rhythm of writing poems and painting which are the two things I love the most. I did keep a journal where I jotted my deep thoughts, some short poems, and quips and quotes I come across. Today I want to share a poem I wrote recently.
When Sadness Stares You in the Face
Sadness crept up behind me
as I looked into the mirror
It stared me in the face
I could feel its heartache
as if it were mine.
It told me sorrow never stands alone
It pierces the soul
It wails and deafens
But that fact does not make it proud.
I stared at it for a while
and then I decided to ignore it
I wished away its dysphoria, and the despondence
I challenged the bleakness
and it finally disappeared
Only my reflection remained
and the sun’s evening rays beamed through
I knew then that hope was on its way.
Hope has wings you know
A feather floated onto my lap
Good Lord!!!
Go high, as high as
you can and then go higher
Angels will watch
God Bless America!
Today more than ever
Love and human kindness
must win.
Trees begin
to drop their leaves
on sacred grounds
yet they still stand tall
hopeful for the spring
to bring
blooms to feast our eyes.
Life’s cycle remains in tack that way
though there is nothing more we can say
to the loved ones
who will still be in mourning.
Prayers sometimes never fill
the emptiness and the void.
Death can never be proud now;
too many hearts beat softly in
great pain
just like the drummer
who knows the refrain.
Life marches on
and as we learn to look beyond
the strife, the grief
the disbelief,
the miserable isms that
have consumed our souls,
Our oneness will and must shine through
brighter than the morning sun
and God’s night lights
will guide us
to a safe haven
where more than ever before
we will stand together.
These two great singers are among my very favorite singers. Listen and read the lyrics. They always bring me peace.
I pray you’ll be our eyes,
And watch us where we go
And help us to be wise,
In times when we don’t know
Let this be our prayer,
When we lose our way
Lead us to a place,
Guide us with your grace
To a place where we’ll be safe
La luce che tu dai (the light that you give)
I pray we’ll find your light
Nel cuore resterà (In my heart it will remain)
And hold it in our hearts
A ricordarci che (To remind us that)
When stars go out each night
L’eterna stella sei (You are the eternal star)
Nella mia preghiera (In my prayers)
Let this be our prayer
Quanta fede c’è (How much faith there is)
When shadows fill our day
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we’ll be safe
Sognamo un mondo senza più violenza (We dream of a world with no more violence)
Un mondo di giustizia e di speranza (A world of justice and hope)
Ognuno dia la mano al suo vicino (Everyone lends a hand to their neighbour)
Simbolo di pace e di fraternità (A symbol of peace and fraternity)
La forza che ci dai (The strength you give us)
We ask that life be kind
È il desiderio che (And the desire that)
And watch us from above
Ognuno trovi amor (Everyone will find love)
We hope each soul will find
Intorno e dentro a sè (Around and inside themselves)
Another soul to love
Let this be our prayer
Let this be our prayer
Just like every child
Just like every child
Need to find a place,
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we’ll be safe
E la fede che (And the faith that)
Hai acceso in noi (You have ignited within us)
Sento che ci salverá (I feel that it will save all of us)
After watching such terrifying images of the destruction caused by the fires on the west coast of the USA, I tried to put myself in the place of the victims and simply start shaking at the thought. It saddened me so much to hear about the number of deaths including a young child. I believe that climate change is the ultimate culprit for these calamities.
I wonder if we will be able to reverse the damage so far. Three states are suffering from the fires and who knows how many people will end up with serious respiratory illnesses in the weeks to come. Louisiana is soon facing yet another possible hurricane. Puerto Rico has to deal with the sand storms that come from the Sahara. You have to see it to believe that so much soot can accumulate within just a few days. The island has also experienced several earthquakes as have so many other places.
We can only hope that science will figure out what needs to be done. We know what we can do to help the situation. During the pandemic shut down, many cities were observing how the environment seemed cleaner. Obviously, there were less cars on the roads and therefore less pollution. It simply makes sense the more we work together the better the results. Sometimes it takes something like a pandemic to help us see reality.
Racial tensions augmented during these last few months. All races came together to stand up for racial justice. I recently reread a copy of James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time. I had underlined these quotes so many years ago when I first read his work and which still resonates today.
“Life is tragic simply because the earth turns and the sun inexorably rises and sets, and one day, for each of us, the sun will go down for the last, last time. Perhaps the whole root of our trouble, the human trouble, is that we will sacrifice all the beauty of our lives, will imprison ourselves in totems, taboos, crosses, blood sacrifices, steeples, mosques, races, armies, flags, nations, in order to deny the fact of death, the only fact we have. It seems to me that one ought to rejoice in the fact of death–ought to decide, indeed, to earn one’s death by confronting with passion the conundrum of life. One is responsible for life: It is the small beacon in that terrifying darkness from which we come and to which we shall return.”
“And if the word integration means anything, this is what it means: that we, with love, shall force our brothers to see themselves as they are, to cease fleeing from reality and begin to change it.”
― James Baldwin
Life only happens once. And for those who believe we reincarnate it still happens one life at a time and within a specific time. I hope and believe that we can make life better for each other when we decide to accept that each of us is deserving of a good life, a healthy existence, a peaceful coexistence. I still hope that we awaken to the essence of our oneness. Are you ready?
I do not want to loose momentum. I want all of us to keep our ears and eyes open. I want us to continue to ask the pertinent and relevant questions. The answers to those questions that matter to us individually and collectively for the good of all. I cannot stress enough the importance of keeping informed. Read critically and look for accurate and credible sources. This is just my sincere advice. I speak as an educator, mother, grandmother and simply an American who cares about what happens to our beloved country.
In the meantime, I want to write and paint because these activities help me cope and melt my worries away a little.
Painting and Poem Melba Christie
Passions flow
hearts beat with empathy
Perhaps a hopeful tomorrow
In the meantime,
I pray for the souls
of over 184,000
who were probably alive
last year on this day and the day before.
Never dreamed they would leave the earth
so abruptly and alone.
In the meantime,
I write haiku,
I dream and hope,
I breathe deeply,
and visualize brighter days.
In the meantime,
I listen to nature’s songs,
I look at the view
for something new,
I seek inspiration,
to help awaken my imagination,
and I am still in the now,
and utter positive affirmations,
that our nation,
under God,
indivisible,
will unite
once again.
Out of touch?
Feelings are not important, right?
Death is only felt by the 177, 000 dead!
Out of touch?
Did you eat the conventional three meals today?
Do you know how many did not?
They are thousands of children, American children. Our children.
They are the homeless.
They are even those who have a home.
They are the unemployed.
They are of all colors, all creeds, all political parties.
Out of touch?
Many of us are.
This is what is so sad.
Out of touch?
We need to come to one realization.
That is, it is not just to say, “It is what it is.”
What it should be is,
What we should ask ourselves is:
What are you going do about it?
Out of touch?
Not me, not I, never again.
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.
This is another found poem of sorts. Please see the attributions.
How important is it?
If I had a song,
My very own song,
An earth song,
I would be dancing on my own,
without a care in the world.
Are you listening?
The magical tune of the river tells us
It is hopeful in a time of confusion.
But wait I still hear some craziness.
I still feel like I am in the dark.
Wait a minute.
or is it an hour, a year or just seventy-four days?
I too am beginning
to see the light.
Photograph by Melba Christie
Attributions:
Man of many thoughts, keithgarrettpoetry
johncoyote
Pat Cagan
Sketchuniverse
I was inspired by this countdown clock that measures to the second how much longer it will be until election day. I wrote the following poem starting with a borrowed line from Destined 4 the Dub. I write found poems all the time and all it takes is reading a clever line from a fellow blogger. I want to create awareness and encourage people to read and listen as we move closer to election day. It is so important to keep informed and to be able to distinguish the truth and alternative facts.
I hope you enjoy this poem. Afterall, my goal is to inspire with my art and poetry. I have been enjoying the comments. Here is the found poem. I hope that one of you can give it a title. Please write your suggestions in the comments.
Carefully choose what you remember.
Let go of all the lies.
Allow the waves of change
to flow gracefully into your hearts.
We are the new dreamers.
However, the seeds were planted long ago.
Sow them gently;
So you hear their soothing mantra.
They create harmony for us;
all of us.
Know now the urgency of our oneness.
Our voices echo love and peace.
Do not forget to look at the view.
Nature always heals the soul.
Watch out for the rainbow;
it knows our destiny.
We will survive!
Breathe!
This too shall pass.
Attributions: Miriam Out and About – Destined 4 the dub
Mediation by Melba Christie
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