Therisa's World

Tuesday, 20 November 2018

Tainted Harvest (October 30, 2018)

Sticks and stones

May break my bones

But names

Will never hurt me.

Old English speaking saying

I wish true

But isn't.

Many people carry

Distance echoes

Toxic slurs

Scarring souls.

Elusive poison

Never truly neutralize.

Regardless

Educational programs

Or money spent.

Hate inspired actions

Society’s fringed elements

Through spoken/written words

Selected targets.

Crossing boundaries

Political religious sexual

Or gender orientation

And ethnicity.

We're all targets.

Hate-physical energy

Can taste/feel

With all senses

Leaving tears behind

Asking why.

Shrouded bodies

Permanently removed

From life.

Falling back

Upon tired cliche

“Never again.”

What point

Do we realize

Lipserve isn't enough.

Forgotten numerous times

Words spoken

At memorials funerals

And public inquiries.

Wiping away

Frustrated tears

People killed

Too soon.

Cycle renews itself.

Author’s note: How many more people must die, before governments and NGOs (NRA) take concrete action, to end this horrific slaughter of innocent people. Do we need another Holocaust, before serious attention is given to this? Heavens help us, if this needs to occur.

Claiming My Soul (October 27, 2018)

Times

Find myself

Emotionally/mentally paralyzed

Blame game playing.

Moves/things

Should've done differently

Mentally flailing my soul

Dark bloody rivulets

Mars my soulscape.

Each rivulet

Different “what if”

Or “should've done this”

Scenario unfolding.

Guilty conscience byproduct

Indelible inked numbers

Tattooed on soul.

Should've stopped

Bullying and abuse.

Poisonous game/trap

Inviting self-pity

Corroding soul's foundation.

Spiralling downwards

Cruelest darkness

Trapping one's soul.

Lashing out

Violence with violence

Admitting victory

Hate filled people.

This isn't

Who I am

As a person

Fought hard against.

Author's note: As finishing this poem, I saw on CBC.ca, the shocking news about Pittsburgh’s Synagogue murders, this morning. I won't pretend to know, what motivates such a hate crime. To the families of all victims, I offer my condolences, in this time of sorrow.

Sadly, placing armed guards around places of worship, won't solve this anger/intolerance that some people have to others, who are different. As a Canadian looking in, outside the United States, I don't see this happening any time soon. Where love and compassion guide people’s hearts, instead of hatred and violence.

Winds Of Change 'R' Blowing (October 22, 2018)

I wear

The pink triangle

Not fashion statement

Some people do

Coloured ribbons.

Rather

Memorial to those

Imprisoned and killed

By Nazi Germany

And its European allies.

Taking back

Symbol of oppression/ignorance

Branding LGBTQ+ people.

Transforming it

Hope and tolerance

Educating people

We're not monsters

To shun/attack.

Especially now

Hearts hardening

Barriers raised

Deemed strangers/different

By influential society members

Xenophobia grows.

Dreaded sense-deja vu

Repeating failed lessons

Of past century

Higher death toll.

Legislating hate/ignorance

Binding laws

Society poorer.

Head hung

In shame.

Author’s note: Too many examples of this type of hate/ignorance, like the protest against Ukrainian:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/18/trans-rights-activists-attacked-with-pepper-spray-during-ukraine-march-kiev

Ignorance Wall (October 15, 2018)

You force us

Jump multiple hurdles

Semblance of acceptance.

Taking risks

Endangering health

Appeasing dated beliefs

Others never accept.

What point

Society realize

No definitive definition

What's female/male

Only generalities.

Regardless

Cis/trans/intersex label

Society applies.

Whatever criteria used

Always be someone

Outside gender definition

One uses.

Get over it

Move on.

Author's note: Wrote this, in reaction to the comments on this article on CBC.ca: https://www.cbc.ca/sports/transgender-woman-track-cycling-1.4863381

Shall Not Be Forgotten Years (October 15, 2018)

We're nothing

Stepping stones

Used and discarded

Whenever suited.

Past 50 years

Meant nothing.

Tears wept

Callow manner

Trump said:

“It doesn't matter

We won.”

Tossing aside

Our abuse/sexual assaults

Deleted spam emails

From your account.

Show hearing

Confirming Kavanaugh

Truth-secondary importance.

Once more

Enter Dark Ages

Generations to come.

Even if

Only 4 years

Of Trump.

Author's note: Reaction to a report on Trump’s 60 Minutes interview, aired Sunday, October 14, 2018.

Closing The Gap (October 14, 2018)

Many things

My mom has done

Over the years

Angered me.

But this

Attacked my identity

Accidentally outing myself

Canada Day 2006.

Her asking

Wanting to be cured

Being LGBTQ+

If treatable disease

By medical community.

Never realizing

Conversion therapy

At the time.

Said “Yes”

Naively thinking SRS.

Canadian provinces

Of Manitoba Ontario

And Nova Scotia

Have least banned

Children conversion therapy.

Unenforceable law

The practice

Often done

Religious counselling.

Only solution

Strong federal law

With real legal teeth.

Punish parents/guardians

Organizations authorized it

And counsellors/therapists

Implementing this.

While

Preventing travel abroad

For these programs.

(Personally

No victim’s age limit

For this proposed law.)

Online petition

By Devon Hargreaves

Ending January 18, 2019.

Upon presentation

Federal government

Has 45 day response period

On course of action.

Only hope

Doesn't become

Political football punted around

Federal government seeks

Re-election.

Author's note: Am concerned that Canadian conservative religious communities, will see this online petition, as an attack against them. Thus, the governing Liberal party won't move this, fearing voters backlash.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/conversion-therapy-ban-petition-1.4850125

Wednesday, 14 November 2018

Tad Early (October 22, 2018)

It's October

Early promise

Of snow.

Almost 2 months

Before Winter Solstice

Year’s darkest/shortest day.

Lingering memory

Coming promise

More snow colder temperatures

And wind chill warnings.

Not unusual

Despite climate change cries

Southern Ontario witness this.

Children bundled up

Winter clothing

Under Halloween costumes

Trick-or-treating for candy

And UNICEF donations.

Remembrance Day

Cold slate skies

Opening up

Frozen tears falling.

For romantics

White Christmas.

Curse you

Irving Berlin/Bing Crosby

And Holiday Inn.

Settling back

Watching snowbanks

Ebb and flow.

Snowbirds flee

Points south

Respite break

Awaiting spring.

Until final storm

Marking winter’s end

In April.

Ending hibernation

Another year.

Author’s note: Today, November 14th, I saw my first snowflakes for the winter season of 2018-2019. I wasn’t impressed, by the scattered flurries. Knowing more of the white garbage will fall before the last flake melts away. Sigh.