At the very center…right at the heart of the matter,
deep in the core and the crushed gem of it
is the real you; that piece of ‘godness’,
that warrior woman.
Didn’t Jesus throw a fit and fall in it
at the temple where he felt
there was no fairness?
Doesn’t god, in all his perfection and wisdom
whip the willows against the earth,
allow the clouds to weep, turn his eyes
away from a bent-over child in the desert?
Why then can you not feel angry,
weep until your lips are dry with sorrow,
lie in the barrows of despair
and call out to your neighbors to come?
Lord, sister, I have heard your voice,
in the homes where there are monuments
made of bedrooms they will never sleep in again;
I have heard your sighs on the steep slopes
of sadness covering the body of your man;
I have seen your fist raised against the crack
of your hatred at the enemy without.
Come, I am the comforter of time,
after the fact and fracture,
after the eyelids no longer droop,
after the cure and caution is over,
after, sister, after you have been the hero
and recognize yourself as a winning woman.
Come, let me hold you. Weep your ragged sobs
against the shoulder of kin who reads
between the lines and leans into you
so you can bear another moment of this madness.
I have a little light left after keeping myself warm.
My arms were made strong by holding on
to another who stayed with me in my dark night.
Let us care for you, nurture you, in ways
that releases clefted clench on your heart.
These are holy times; these moments you share;
These minutes it takes for you to tell us
that you can bear no more alone.
You are not alone, my girl. We are here,
whispering in the night that you need to be held.
We sing you the soft songs of solace
in the quiet sigh of your sleeping home
that has kept you hard and haggard
for too long. Come, give me your heart.
I will hold it safe for you until you can rise
and take it, to pin it on your breast;
a hero’s badge, honorable woman that you are.
Author notes
Night Hope
In a list
- Written for Pen Friends and A Pack of Poets • next in list
- Beautiful Words by Beautiful People I Know • next in list
- My Favorite AP Poets • next in list
- List of Poems Written for Me by AP Poets (under construction) • next in list
- Honorable Mention • next in list
- Gold Poetry • next in list
A contest entry
- A Ray Of Hope. by Poetryintheblood.
400 points, ended December 24, 2006, 9 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Go Team Go! by Cherokee.
300 points, ended February 1, 2007, 8 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 34 of 34
-
-
Sighhh...Magnificence...I know I've already told you how much I love this poem ~ how much I love all of your words. (After all, I DID nominate it for the spotlight, in addition to sending the link to a bunch of people who I thought would benefit from the experience of your amazing writing.) I am entering it as one of my favorite poems in Victory Gin's contest...This one stands out, I believe, because it shows your indominitable spirit ~ your concern for everyone & everything around you, from our natural world to our spiritual existence, which is ever so delicately connected. It demonstrates the depths of your compassion & honor ~ your wisdom & truth that you so generously share with us all. It shows how comfortable you are in your own female skin, to be able to reach out with such caring to another woman, to provide us all with the strength we all need when darkness falls too hard, surrounding us with the shadows that would cripple us, were you not on the scene to help us rise again. I love this poem because it is YOU, through & through, my Sister. You're a remarkable human being & a wondrous guide upon the path, leading us all Home...It goes far beyond the realm of poetic endeavors, I think. It warms the very heart of us all. So there. 
Wanda
-
First, thank you for following the rules. This is amazing. I figured it was Night Hope who inspired this.
-
another gold perhaps
-
Simply Beautiful
Your words spilled with a nurturing outstretch of your hand. Comforting to read and here for those who need to feel the strength from within them. A wonderful pen that appears has and will reach out to many. This was certainly my pleasure to read. Simply Beautiful
~Tia
-
-
thank you, tia, you have led me back to this poem for a reason...how could you have known I was mid search to send it to a friend? Ah, I know...because we are all connected.
-
-
"I will hold it safe for you until you can rise
and take it, to pin it on your breast;
a HERO'S BADGE, honorable woman that you are."
P.S. Tia's the police officer I told you about.
-
Maybe 'cause I'M the one that sent Tia the link to it, my Sister...
Indeed, we ARE all connected...Tia also wrote poems for Mark & I...She's a real Sweetheart, too...I love you dearly, Carol.
-
-
-
Excellent!
Very thoughtful, caring words in this excellent poem..I can see why it was nominated to be spotlighted. It deserves the spotlight! Very nicely done!
Maureen
-
-
Thank you, Maureen. Life down here is hard sometimes..and we can only make it if we have someone to lift us..if I ever do anything right in this world, let it be that I lifted.
-
-
This is not a time for analysis
These images capture the heart and make the soul long for arms to protect them. It captures the scared child in us all. This has power and strength that cascades from images that remind us of the emptiness of shadows that we know we never want to discover who they are cast by. This has a tenderness and gentleness in its flow and understanding language that speaks of a strength that like a river long deep and wide we would to have flow over us. This is such a gift I printed a copy and gave it to my wife. This is an immortal gift. Thank you. Love, Tom B.
-
-
thank you, tom. I thought I had answered you comment and came to revisit this poem to send it to a friend and find I had not. I apologize. Please, if you know anyone who ever needs to hear the song of my soul, share it.
-
-
What an absolutely beautiful poem. Such heart and soul revealed in your words. I felt comforted and strong reading this. If ever I need a shoulder, I feel I could find strength in yours. Wonderfully deep writing. Well done.
~Lyrical
-
-
You are right, my sister, you could. It helps me know god to see my sisters rise.
-
-
A beautiful poem and it reads with such clarity.Thank you to Wanda for pointing me to this masterpiece.
~Helen
-
-
Thank you, natari moon, this was written as an automatic gut reaction to someone who his hurting....
-
-
Wow!
"I have a little light left after keeping myself warm.
My arms were made strong by holding on
to another who stayed with me in my dark night."
This piece is amazing, as are your notes. I can't imagine a better friend for a woman in pain to have, new or old.
Your little light would heat the earth;
grow maize to feed the hungry child
Your drum would correct the tides,
were they to lose the way home
The hearth of you would warm a
weary woman, long in the cold
And your caring hands
would comfort angels
too sad to fly
peace
-
-
thank you rob...happens I hug men just as easily.....
-
-
Wanda sent me to this page and how grateful I am for the priviledge to read this. I understand this amazing poem so well for I have experieced the same emotions, the same arms of friends to hold me and heard the song of solace when I needed it the most. Somehow the essence of this poem reminds me of one of my own poems called "Larks"...yes, we need someone to help us rise and to sing like larks again. Amazing poetry, so wonderfully deep and soulful. Every woman should wear a "hero's badge" - for we are not an afterthought, but a culmination (quoted from my "Eve" poem). Thank you for this light.
~ Nicolette
-
-
thank you Nicolette..I am sure glad god gave us arms......how else could we hug ourselves?
-
-
Inspiring
Such a wonderful penning. Your immense heart overflows in this poem. Just wonderful. ~Mark
-
-
thank you mj....there is even enough here for you to have some....here ya go
-
-
Wow...this is amazing...
I have no words to express the beauty of this piece of sheer profound brilliance. Your insight leaves me in awe of your heart and pen.
May beauty follow your journey...and hold you in the arms of peace dear Poet.
Amazing...
Blessings! Tammy
-
-
what a beautiful comment.....may love surround you, may love be in you and may lvoe raditate from you...it is the only thing that keeps us warm.
-
-
Magnificent
"I have a little light left after keeping myself warm.
My arms were made strong by holding on
to another who stayed with me in my dark night."
Sighhh...As one who has been held by your strong arms, I can attest to the brilliance & profound Truth of these incredible words, my Sister...This is so beautiful, Carol...What an amazing penning, dear Lady...This one should be required reading for all women, everywhere...Wonderfully written & most compassionately lived...You are such a magnificent Soul, my dear Friend...Good luck in the contest...You solace so many with your words... Wanda
-
-
solace given out is always solace received, I find.....I have never cared for antoher that I haven't been blessed by them...like you, friend...
-
-
a little light left...and the soft songs of solace filled my heart...
-
-
thank you nilav
-
-
As always, beautiful work.
-
-
thank you ea.... Once in a while a poem comes that you feel deeply attached to..more deeply than othrs...this is the way of this poem.
-
-
A most relative line of importance..This entire beautiful piece overflows in compassions. But you and I know as in your line above.The gift of giving restores the light in ones self.Returning that power to you in a gift.Very pretty work of artful words you've penned.~Susean
-
-
You are so correct...when ever we reach out to hug another, we are embraced....
-
-
Thank you for your most beautiful entry, I am in total awe of it's inspirational voice, something I very much need right now, Josephine
-
-
There are so many who are hurting jsut now....all we can do is, if they let us know, reachout to them and do the only thing we can...love and nurture.
-
Adding your comment:
1 - 34 of 34
