Sunday, November 23, 2014

LOVE, THE DRAGON AND ITS VICTIMS

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In another part of the world,
a mother laments her children's
non-future in a country where
food is scarce, where there's a dragon
who, unable to kill what it fears,
growls louder, breathes its fiery hate
even stronger, killing more.
She is grateful for some food today.

Here I plan the expected feast,
celebration for my country's abundance.
A tinge of regretful guilt crosses my mind,
as it wallows in helplessness.
Questions of "why" remain unanswered.
For some reason she is there and I am here.

I'm aware of her suffering.
Don't know if she's aware of my relative wealth,
or that suffering makes no class distinctions.
I hope she is rich in ways I do not see.

My country celebrates Thanksgiving once a year.
For me and many, it's a daily practice.
Today, I'm grateful for the Internet,
for exposure to this woman's pain,
which I embrace as part of me.
Maybe love helps
to pacify the dragon.


(For Poets United.)

17 comments:

  1. Yes there are places where things are so much scarcer .. celebrating Thanksgiving is not on our agenda.. but we still live every day as it was a feast.. still I think there are places where they have better life..

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  2. Thoughtful piece Myrna - you make some telling points here, I think... Thank you for making us stop and ponder...With Best Wishes Scott www.scotthastie.com

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  3. I think at this time of year of celebration here in the USA with our Thanksgiving feast it is good to think about people such as the mother you mentioned in your poem. I do hope that she has some food to be grateful for and also, as you said, that she is rich in other ways.....and especially that she is loved!

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  4. I love your compassionate heart, Myrna. LOVE your powerful closing lines, "Maybe love helps to pacify the dragon."

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  5. Yes, there are many dragons in the world some we may never slay. Well written activist poem.

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  6. Sadly true but there is always something to be thankful for.

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  7. We are so one eyed when considering the plight of others and do not see the dragons all around us.

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  8. such a thoughtful concern Myrna. situations like the above is difficult to fathom... i understood the sentiment of your poem. let's hope for a better world.

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  9. the last two lines are so full of hope and light...the poem touches deeply...

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  10. I reflected especially on the last two lines, tho it took the entire poem for me to get there. I do not know what is enough, but I know I have to give thanks with my family and look on their faces with joy.

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  11. Intriguing and thoughtful. The idea of one's privileges stacked against other people's lacks is quite an eye opener. I constantly wish for a world where such intense and unjustified inequalities didn't exist.

    Beautifully penned.

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  12. Love that you mention about 'daily practice' being grateful for what we have...and I believe in Love :)x

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  13. We have so much to be grateful for . . . I found out that an old school friend had died this weekend (she was only 42). Made my problems seems so insignificant. I too hope that those less fortunate are rich in others ways.

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  14. Such power and joy in this poem, despite the differing lifestyles. Showing empathy for others and being grateful for what we have are both so important. I especially like this line:
    "I hope she is rich in ways I do not see"
    I hope that for everyone I know.
    Well done.

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  15. Considering the gross inequality in the world and the obscene wealth and greed of the western life style perpetrated by advertising and social media I think we deserve every problem that we are faced with. Karma. Thought provoking poem.

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  16. when i watch the news and see how people in other parts of the world suffer and struggle i often feel ashamed for my being not always thankful for the food and shelter and warmth and home cause i'm just so used to have it all... a powerful poem myrna... even if we don't celebrate thanksgiving over here, i wanna celebrate in my heart...

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