28 August 2024

In Our Spheres

 

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How is it we keep walking hopefully
in our spheres when violation and death
stalk us—girls and women—in inhuman
ways?  I say inhuman, but only man-
made crimes torture innocents and harm those
pursuing paths once closed to them, hurt 
the optimistic, joyful, and unwary.
 
How do we keep walking hopefully in
our spheres?  We replant land raped of trees;
we help some beached whales to survive.  Our
stories remember and protect; our stories
seek justice, and we fight for it.  We hold
the sky and ride the waves, and we know
earth’s health depends on our own well-being.


For Sumana's prompt "Overcoming" at What's Going On?


My blog poems are rough drafts.
Please respect my copyright.

© 2024 Susan L. Chast 


9 comments:

  1. Mary8/28/2024 8:07 AM

    Your first stanza makes a valid point. It is "man" who perpetrates violence. For power? Control? One doesn't see women torturing, harming, closing doors. And in your second stanza - yes, we as humans do need a way to keep the hope, as we fight for justice for those who have had their lives or rights taken away!

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  2. Rajani8/28/2024 10:33 AM

    How do we keep walking hopefully in / our spheres... a fabulous question and maybe it is because of our primal survival instinct...hope is the way to get through the day... and the imagery of "hold the sky and ride the waves" is all power... maybe we need both- power and hope - to make the change.

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  3. Jae Rose8/28/2024 11:06 AM

    I love your conclusion - perhaps in helping to heal the world (or wishing it well) we feel well ourselves - Jae

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  4. Sherry Blue Sky8/28/2024 11:15 AM

    I often marvel at how life goes on, instinctively, in the midst of so much calamity. An old grandmother stirring a ot of soup outside in the rubble of a war-torn country, for example. Human animals, born to struggle, born to strive to survive. Your poem is deep and made me think. Really good writing, my friend.

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  5. Anonymous8/28/2024 11:56 AM

    We keep on because we have no choice but to keep on keeping on. Hope kindness and prayers and speaking out is the way out eventually....Rall

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  6. Sumana Roy8/28/2024 12:24 PM

    "How is it we keep walking hopefully
    in our spheres when violation and death
    stalk us—girls and women—in inhuman
    ways?" My thoughts are dwelling in this space exactly, these days. Our stories of good deeds and strength will lead us on, hopefully.

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  7. Kim M. Russell8/28/2024 2:09 PM

    I agree with Mary that it is ‘man’ who perpetrates violence, against girls, women, animals and the Earth. If only we could motivate all women to stand up to them.

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  8. Sandi8/28/2024 2:53 PM

    Powerful.

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  9. Anonymous8/29/2024 12:07 PM

    A beautiful poem!! annell

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