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I'm much better with numbers, I promise. Poems are largely unedited, written in one attempt.
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Poems
Steve Page Oct 2020
Kindness bites
Steve Page
Oct 2020
Kindness is not nice.
‘Nice’ is soft and inoffensive
‘Nice’ is careful and non-assertive
‘Nice’ is easy and effects no change
she’s cotton wool trying to soften the pain
but not stuffed tight, just resting on the surface
ready to be blown away or pressed
under a muddy boot of disinterest
‘Nice’ is a damp whisper
a mouse cowering in the corner
hoping you will blink and miss her
lest she attract your notice
lest she presume too much
and cause a whisker of offence
Kindness is not like that –
Kindness pushes in, quick and nimble
a hero with no mask, unasked
unexpected, dodging the turmoil
leaving nothing unsaid and little undone
in her pursuit of creating a counter-disruption
Kindness defies convention
Kindness carefully aims her weapons of choice
and advances relentless and regardless
of any and all obstacles in her way
Kindness perseveres all the love-long day
Kindness doesn’t delay
Kindness is gleeful for the chance of invasion
ready to disarm with expert compassion
with her regiments of patience
armed to the teeth with gracious
placing tanks of good faith on all fronts
Kindness confronts
Courage is her currency, boldness her language,
trust and hope are her passports to lands long unexplored
happily wearing all-weather clothing
for any and all unexpected storms
Kindness transforms
Kindness weakens all defenses
and challenges all camouflaged pretenses
Kindness pours itself out to fill unhealed wounds
and on shrapnel-seeded battlefields
she - blooms
Kindness is not 'nice'
Kindness isn’t in this for the likes
Kindness bites
She’s a take-on-all-comers, undefeated delight
Kindness never bails from the fight
never fails, never takes flight
Kindness is nothing casual,
nothing incidental
This Kindness is elemental
She is Avengers-Assemble,
End-Game-level
monumental
Kindness is not 'nice'.
Kindness is loving awe-ful.
‘Nice’ is soft and inoffensive
‘Nice’ is careful and non-assertive
‘Nice’ is easy and effects no change
she’s cotton wool trying to soften the pain
but not stuffed tight, just resting on the surface
ready to be blown away or pressed
under a muddy boot of disinterest
‘Nice’ is a damp whisper
a mouse cowering in the corner
hoping you will blink and miss her
lest she attract your notice
lest she presume too much
and cause a whisker of offence
Kindness is not like that –
Kindness pushes in, quick and nimble
a hero with no mask, unasked
unexpected, dodging the turmoil
leaving nothing unsaid and little undone
in her pursuit of creating a counter-disruption
Kindness defies convention
Kindness carefully aims her weapons of choice
and advances relentless and regardless
of any and all obstacles in her way
Kindness perseveres all the love-long day
Kindness doesn’t delay
Kindness is gleeful for the chance of invasion
ready to disarm with expert compassion
with her regiments of patience
armed to the teeth with gracious
placing tanks of good faith on all fronts
Kindness confronts
Courage is her currency, boldness her language,
trust and hope are her passports to lands long unexplored
happily wearing all-weather clothing
for any and all unexpected storms
Kindness transforms
Kindness weakens all defenses
and challenges all camouflaged pretenses
Kindness pours itself out to fill unhealed wounds
and on shrapnel-seeded battlefields
she - blooms
Kindness is not 'nice'
Kindness isn’t in this for the likes
Kindness bites
She’s a take-on-all-comers, undefeated delight
Kindness never bails from the fight
never fails, never takes flight
Kindness is nothing casual,
nothing incidental
This Kindness is elemental
She is Avengers-Assemble,
End-Game-level
monumental
Kindness is not 'nice'.
Kindness is loving awe-ful.
see also https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week/kindness-research
Antoinette G Feb 2015
Kindness
Antoinette G
Feb 2015
How hard is it to give someone a little kindness
To tell them they are pretty when they ask
If they are
To help to raise themselves
From the pit in which they fell
How easy would it be to have a little kindness
To be the light
In someones darkness
To be the healer, & friend that would help
To save them from themselves
How unbelievable is it to see someone needs your kindness
Someone who's arms hang low from shame
Who's head is filled with pains unknown
Who's arms are scarred & self hatred grown
What do you think that little bit of kindness
That you could have given to someone today
Could have brought them to continue on
When they planned to end their life
Because now they know that there are good people out there
Where is the kindness
That we should all have in our hearts
Show to our neighbors
Have from the start
Do you know where that kindness is
Where it's hidden
Where it's gone
Because if not then we've all lost the most important
Reason to live at all
So show that kindness
Let it shine through
Show kindness
So it can become a part of you
To tell them they are pretty when they ask
If they are
To help to raise themselves
From the pit in which they fell
How easy would it be to have a little kindness
To be the light
In someones darkness
To be the healer, & friend that would help
To save them from themselves
How unbelievable is it to see someone needs your kindness
Someone who's arms hang low from shame
Who's head is filled with pains unknown
Who's arms are scarred & self hatred grown
What do you think that little bit of kindness
That you could have given to someone today
Could have brought them to continue on
When they planned to end their life
Because now they know that there are good people out there
Where is the kindness
That we should all have in our hearts
Show to our neighbors
Have from the start
Do you know where that kindness is
Where it's hidden
Where it's gone
Because if not then we've all lost the most important
Reason to live at all
So show that kindness
Let it shine through
Show kindness
So it can become a part of you
Steve Page Dec 2019
Kindness is not Nice
Steve Page
Dec 2019
Kindness is not nice.
Nice is soft and inoffensive.
Nice is easy and effects no change, it's cotton wool - not stuffed tight, but just resting on the surface ready to be blown away or trodden into a muddy disinterest. Nice is a damp whisper, a mouse cowering in the corner, taking up as little space as possible, lest it be noticed, lest it presume too much and cause a whisker of offence.
Kindness isn't like that -
Kindness pushes in, claws out, quick and heavy, uninvited, unexpected, taking pleasure in disturbance, in leaving nothing unsaid and little undone in its pursuit of creating a disruption of difference. Kindness counts everyone a target, anybody a likely candidate for a three act matinee and evening performance of loud Kindness. Surprise is its currency, smiles its language, common humankindness its passport to lands yet to be explored, to vast red territories with drumbeats of gratefulness for the opportunity to march in with regiments of compassion and to leave a signature devastation of brutal Kindness.
Kindness is not 'nice'.
Kindness is loving awe-ful.
Nice is soft and inoffensive.
Nice is easy and effects no change, it's cotton wool - not stuffed tight, but just resting on the surface ready to be blown away or trodden into a muddy disinterest. Nice is a damp whisper, a mouse cowering in the corner, taking up as little space as possible, lest it be noticed, lest it presume too much and cause a whisker of offence.
Kindness isn't like that -
Kindness pushes in, claws out, quick and heavy, uninvited, unexpected, taking pleasure in disturbance, in leaving nothing unsaid and little undone in its pursuit of creating a disruption of difference. Kindness counts everyone a target, anybody a likely candidate for a three act matinee and evening performance of loud Kindness. Surprise is its currency, smiles its language, common humankindness its passport to lands yet to be explored, to vast red territories with drumbeats of gratefulness for the opportunity to march in with regiments of compassion and to leave a signature devastation of brutal Kindness.
Kindness is not 'nice'.
Kindness is loving awe-ful.
I'm grateful for the fierce kindness I've received from friends.
Be kind. No matter what it takes.
Titus 3:4
4 But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us....
Be kind. No matter what it takes.
Titus 3:4
4 But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us....