Lisa-Jo Baker describes the Five Minute Friday group as "a brave and beautiful bunch." Some days I'm braver than other days. I tell my children that being brave is not the same as not being scared: being brave is doing the important thing even when you're scared, I say. Today, I'm brave.
The Five Minute Friday prompt today is "small." I like these prompts because they can go in so many directions. Today my thoughts took me to a very introspective place, and whenever I go there I write more in images than in direct, logical sentences. I spent my five minutes pouring out a poem. That part wasn't scary, but this next part is.
I'm going to share my poem. Brave and beautiful, I'm going to put this out there because I want to be a real part of an honest community. I don't like hiding, I hate hypocrisy, and today I just couldn't come up with a pleasant, uplifting, encouraging post about "small." I felt too small to stand up and do such a big thing. Instead, I'm being truthful - and brave.
(Are you a fan of Winnie the Pooh? I am, and I am repeatedly surprised by how deep and true is the philosophy of life acted out in the Hundred Acre Wood. I think I'm acting like Piglet today.)
a brave and beautiful bunch
a brave and beautiful bunch
Without further ado, here are my thoughts.
Small
Small? Too large to realize
the living space, the sense of size,
regardless of the yawning need,
the emptiness, the ache to feed.
Small, the size of words that bite,
piercing hope with shreds of night.
Through the rips, the bindings hold,
pulled too tight against the cold.
Small, the thoughtless sacrifice:
automatic playing nice.
Make the picture fit the dream.
Stop the breath to mend the seam.
Small remaining world may see
whether there is room to be.
Take the tonic. Numb the pain.
Growing time will come again.
Wow. Deborah, thank you. This poem resonates and cuts through superficiality, and I love that. You know what? I almost never write something that fits the mold of "pleasant, uplifting, encouraging" - at least not in a direct way. I think there is so much power and bravery, as you said, in being honest. Honesty, especially when it's about hard things, can still be encouraging and uplifting, because it can help free others to be as they are. And there is nothing small about that. Keep writing poetry - it's beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAmber, I'm reading back through posts and comments and I found yours. You know, when you take the time to write something down, it can keep encouraging over and over. Thanks for taking the time to comment here. Things are still hard, but honesty is still the best way to get through. Thanks again!
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