An initial dose of Harriet Tecumsah Watt's poetry , and its...

    "AFTERMATH"


It is not at all absurd or unacceptable...
never impossible,
that an older lady like me,
could gain precious wisdom,
as well as freedom,
from our younger generation...
theirs is a mixture of the old and the new
drastic, maybe, but sincere and essentially true...
here are bits and pieces of ramblings, brief reflections,
exercises i gathered for my heart, my mind and my soul...
what i ended up with,
when i first visited Miss Watt's page
one Sunday morning:



"You know you are a poet when---"

during Sunday mass,
when gospel is being read and discussed,
and a string of ideas come rushing through your mind
you reach for your pen, in panic,
but your small notebook is not with you...
you thank God, endlessly,
your open palms always come in handy....



"You know you are a poet when---"

your hair gets thinner, fewer, because
while pressing yourself too hard,
your hand skillfully sorts out every strand of hair on your head
and in the process, having them fall on your shoulders,
just to find the right word, right lines, right rhyme...
just about everything right,  from start to end...



"Never feel ashamed about your poems...
— never stop loving your poem, even when faced with harsh criticism,
especially from those who won’t compose and only offer opinion."

from this moment onwards,
never again shall i be ashamed of my poems,
be nervous when i am about to post them
regardless of how simple and shallow they seem to some
"especially those who won't compose and only offer opinion."



i had always wondered then, why my thoughts, my interpretations
always differed from those of the rest...naturally followed by
personal evaluation... that mine were poorly thought of,
mine lacked the necessary depth...not worth listening to...
but...not anymore.....

"Do not let anyone tell you what a poem means...
  Let it show you itself, become your friend
  Share something secret only between you..."



there are ways we can help those souls in need:
lessen their pain and misery,
if not with alms,
then, with kind words or  soothing  deeds...

   " If you have something to give
     if there’s nothing in your pockets
    Maybe shrug your sorry shoulders
    and flash a meek little grin."



this made me reflect even more,
about myself, my faith, the time past
what i have done with this gift of life,
at this certain point in my life....

"Buddha may not like me"
For I've read so little about him...
one thing i know...his teachings,
his truths, agree with those i've grown up with,
those i learned from my elders,
those learned by my elders from their own elders...
"Jesus doesn't like you,"
i dread the day when He would ever dislike me...
i am aware of my own wrongdoings,
i know that He knows...
but i believe, He is not an exacting God,
He gave us choices, and a gift of free will
but then we created "in-betweens"
between those choices...still,
He understands, He forgives...
i am at peace now...
for i have made my choices
my path, i have chosen...



...for me, this is the best part, one that has moved me, touched me deeply,
   and in the days to come, will continue to touch my heart with each re read...
   it is like a place to come home to, when things don't work out the way we
   expect them to...
  


"Take me to a lone park bench
Take your arm around my
shoulder
Take the weight of my weary soul upon
Those shoulders where I belong
Take me out
walking
Take my hand with care
Take me as I am
Take me if you dare

But take me not for granted
That hurts most of all

Take me not for granted
And I will always remain fulfilled.."



I've been TAKEN...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Sally

Copyright 2014
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan