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| Double rainbow created in the mist of Niagara Falls |
Color blindness is convenient theory
but not possible in reality.
Loving neighbors as much as loving self
makes sense only if we do love ourselves.
Seeing that of God in everyone is
possible only when we see color.
Willingness not to be blind is crucial
to how each of us learns to love and loves.
Enough! Stop! You are choking me!
Color. Blindness. Neighbors. God. Love.
Instead, hold my hand and help me to see;
instead, let me encounter full moments.
Let me touch faces and intensities
of individuals without your fears.
Let me see love glow even in shadow;
show me how love illuminates blindness.
Love is not blind, but delights in color—
love rainbows and greys and rainbows again.
2nd draft of a poem in progress.
Posted in Poets United Poetry Pantry #229
Copyright © 2014 S.L.Chast
I think this poem would be an awesome one to Chat about, my friend. I adore it. Especially the wisdom in "makes sense only if we love ourselves"........and "Instead, hold my hand and help me to see".
ReplyDeleteOK.
Deleteit is true that we first have to love ourselves and not in a conceited way, but...
ReplyDeletewe also have to look outside ourselves and be willing to accept that our way is not always the best
and that there may be other viewpoints that are equally as important as ours....
Amen.
DeleteExcellent one, Susan! Love does delight in color, and when we delight all colors we know love like we had not known before....sometimes we need help in this, so indeed it is good to have someone else reach out with his/her hand.
ReplyDeleteIt's not something that can be done alone. Thanks, Mary.
Deletelove is not blind..the whole poem is something to ponder on.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Natasa. I want to love with my eyes open, seeing the history and brightness of the people I meet.
DeleteI loved this, Susan, as a reminder that the value of color is in having the variety. What a boring world if everything was one color...how uninspiring...and how dull it would be if we looked only to one color as having value and dismissed the rest. As always, thoroughly enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteAmen and thank you!
DeleteWonder if you can love if you are blind or love will give you sights.. a lot to think about in this poem
ReplyDeleteBut if the sight of difference keeps one from trying to get close, we will never know! Thanks for your comment.
DeleteThere is so much wisdom in this piece if we take time to read all the signals. We don't tend to use our eyes enough to see everything.
ReplyDeleteTrue. And in-sight as well.
DeleteVery thought provoking.
ReplyDeleteThank you, GL.
DeleteMy family is multi-coloured and I give all the credit to my late father who brought us up to know that everyone is equal.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful poem, Susan.
Luv, K
How wonderful to have so much color in your family. Praise to your father and to you!
DeleteI love rainbows, who doesn't? But to think it in terms of race, religion, cultures many a soul will think twice and prefer to 'mine alone is the greatness' theory and make color blindness a convenient theory. So "Willingness not to be blind is crucial". Wish we could all say "Let me see love glow even in shadow".........a beautiful poem Susan. I read it in my way though. :)
ReplyDeleteYou read it in the way I intended when I wrote it, Sumana. I am examining racism these days, coming from a sea of whiteness. Changing makes me happy.
DeleteLove the meaning of colors in the poem. Even blind can 'see' colors of love. Brilliant! x
ReplyDeleteTrue, Humbird, and with some people especially when all visual clues are lacking.
DeleteToo many topics in this one to discuss. The world and in particular the west is consumed with self love, so much so that it has almost brought us to the brink of destruction. Love is such an abused term with so many connotations. Attitudes to colour depends on cultural and religious influences and the country one lives in. So to attain world peace and love one would need to have a philosophy or religion that was inclusive of everyone regardless of race or status promoting equality and justice for all, condemning violence and avarice.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes! We could talk through the self-love and what we can do about it. I believe inclusiveness can be learned, modelled and bring so much joy we never want to return to the reverse. But you are right. Injustice has to be dismantled in pieces at a time or it gets consumed by the big words that scare people away. I'm trying to work o that in my poetry.
DeleteI am reminded of a story my son shared when he came home from school one day. "What are you?" A student asked my son. "Are you mexican, from India or what?" Knowing my son I believe he chucked and said something like "I'm whatever works..."'
ReplyDeleteI think children have a great perspective - we can learn alot from them.
What a wonderful conversation this poem has sparked! Which shows that poems do help in the furthering of awareness and social justice. Yay!
ReplyDelete