Wednesday, 23 January 2019

Moving Beyond Bleak Street (January 21, 2019)

Across my soulscape
Bitter north wind blows
Freezing me
With dread.


Frozen crystal tears
Fall around me
Muffling my footsteps.


As I stumble
Over hidden cracks
No one notices.


Trying to understand
This judgment need
Condemning those
Who are different.


Wondering
When did my blindness
Grow so pronounced.


In missing
This climate change
Before me.

Seeing it
For first time
Without blinkers on.

How distorted
Everything is.

Knowing
Only matter of time
Before it lands
On my doorstep.

Given the shift
Of the political reality
The worlds I live in.


Therisa © 2019

Author's note: Written for Poets United midweek motif: climate change.

I know, many of the comments below, approach this poem, as being about climate change (physical impact of humanity's destructive nature on the world at large). It is about climate change, but a different definition, as I apply it to the social and political world, surrounding the transcommunity. Will admit that I'm so tired of having to explain everything to cisgender world.

10 comments:

annell4 said...

I loved this poem! The first stanza so wonderful, soulscape, crystal tears, stumble, understand, wondering, missing, seeing...would make a wonderful list poem, too. The words you have chosen are perfect!

Sherry Blue Sky said...

It is scary when we see climate change on our doorstep. For years, we thought it was a comfortable 20 years away. It is here now, in extreme weather events, forest fires, floods......and I fear for the children of today and the threats they face in a mere ten years. Well said, Therisa.

Marja said...

Great poem expressing how it slowly dawns on us what is happening and it will look us straight in the face as it arrives on our doorstep.

Susan said...

You are right to extend the idea of climate change into the social and political realms. This poem is full of powerful images: A "soulscape" is my favorite, that it can be "freezing with dread" and contain "frozen crystal tears." More moments that resonate: "hidden cracks" and everything taking off the blinders implies. I like the final tercet as well, thinking of "worlds" rather than one world.

Sumana Roy said...

This is so beautifully done! The sadness is so palpable here. The astonishment in facing the problem all on a sudden gives a jerk. A deeply honest expression. And as everyone has already said is your selection of perfect words to present the theme. Beautiful.

Gillena Cox said...

Your images are powerful and sincere. The slowly dawning reality of change. The soulscape. Very clevely expressed.

Thanks for dropping by my blog

Muchđź’–love

Yvonne Osborne said...

It is here, on our doorstep!

Khaya Ronkainen said...

Isn't it just interesting that we wonder around blind and deaf to signs and footsteps of climate change, and yet like air is everywhere. Brilliant poem, Therisa.

Old Egg said...

Being well aware of your situation I certainly read this as a parody about change but related it to the climate rather than yourself. I do hope your voice speaks for many others too.

purplepeninportland.com said...

Wonderful job of incorporating vital changes.

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