"Everyday in every way I’m getting better and better" - Emile Coue
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Even a ripple makes a difference
Knead my anger to bread
of common wheat
Salt my wounds
red with fresh thyme
Against killing fields of innocents' blood
Against greed of tyrants & power mad leaders
Puncture through my chest
songs of hurts & injustices
Petrol my voice
to ripple through dark alleys
Let me wear your
grease of sinful shame
graveyard of sadness
Keel me with rain-
drops
of compassion
clouds of forgiveness
Born in me,
person,
not a beast nor coward
Let them not make me a stone
and let them not spill me.
Otherwise kill me
“Let them not make me a stone and let them not spill me.
Otherwise kill me.”
⁃ Louis MacNeice
from, ‘Prayer before Birth’
Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - Bold Tributes hosted by Amaya Engleking. Join us when the pub doors open at 3pm EST. Here is the prompt: We’ll pay tribute to a non-violence or social justice poem by embedding a powerful quote into our own poems, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Please come join us as there are several example quotes to use, from Thomas Hardy to Margaret Walker, or you can find your own quote inspiring peace.
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I really love the beginning... turning the anger into something useful... bread is perfect for what we need to stand up against injustices
ReplyDeleteHeartfelt and full of power.
ReplyDeleteThe emotion is palpable in 'Knead my anger to bread', Grace! I can also feel the anger in
ReplyDelete'Petrol my voice
to ripple through dark alleys'.
Stunning!
Ah, you made that quote sing out so strongly. I suddenly understood it in a whole different way. What a powerful piece.
ReplyDeleteI did not quite get this quote when I first read it. I kind of glossed over it. But your poem explained it to me, so thank you!
ReplyDeleteStunning, Grace.
ReplyDeleteLOVE:
Let me wear your
grease of sinful shame
graveyard of sadness
I used the same quote, was so touched by it.
I liked these lines: "rain-
ReplyDeletedrops
of compassion
clouds of forgiveness "
Sure brought it to life even more so with your flow.
ReplyDeleteEvocative imagery, Grace, with such potent lines so filled with pathos! A truly great write!
ReplyDeleteA powerful message, Grace. I especially like.."Puncture through my chest songs of hurts and injustices...."
ReplyDeleteWe need to feel it....to fix it.
Excellent job on this quote's sentiment, Grace. I hope you read the full poem by MacNeice, if you haven't already. My favorite line was,
ReplyDelete"Petrol my voice
to ripple through dark alleys"
As we learn how to extract truly valuable resources from deep within...us.
Yes I did. Beautiful and moving poem Amaya !
DeleteI am touched by your words.
ReplyDeleteThis is powerful--a healthy expression of anger and expression of the need for change of which everyone needs to make a difference. Poets have a unique stage.
ReplyDeleteWow, Grace..this is full of passion, anger, fight. Love it!!! A great quite to work with.
ReplyDeleteStirring ... impactful ... an important piece.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and intense words. :-)
ReplyDelete