Waking Up To History (October 1, 2019)

Been 22 years

Since Great Britain

Returned Hong Kong.

Streets burn

With anger

Demanding more.

Remnant 

Last century promises

Conveniently forgotten

On the self-interest altar.

Protesters fear

Another Tienanmen Square

Scorched earth crackdown

By Chinese authorities.

Knowing

Long history 

Of suppression

To opposition.

Each move

A chess strategy

As castles and knights

Seek checkmate.

Where consequences

Are life and death

Written by the victorious

In history books.

Therisa © 2019  

Author’s note: Since I have written this poem, the situation in Hong Kong has gotten worse. I fear that Chinese tanks will be rolling down Hong Kong’s streets, before this crisis is over.

One Of Us (September 25, 2019)

Wednesday

September 11, 2019

"War On Terror"

Became an adult.

Eighteenth anniversary

Religious fanatics attacked

The United States.

Refuse

To tar and feather

All Molsems

For extremists' actions.

Hatred gives fanatics

Undeserving victory

Over everyone.

Unanswered question

Fill my mind.

Wondering

How "War On Terror"

Would react

If born human.

Are they filled

By anger/hate

Fueled xenophobia?

Lashing out

With blind rage 

Like President Trump?

Or

Transforming negative energy

Into community healing

Through shared strengths.

Understanding - focal point

For personal growth

And dialogue.

Reducing

If not eliminating 

Sectarian barriers.

Else

Fueled by

Destructive nihilism

Bordering on suicidal.

Self-pleasure

Hedonistic drug

Masking soul's pain.

Societal pariah

Abandoned and isolated

Feared by everyone.

Sadly

War On Terror

Isn't a person.

But

Flawed policy enacted

At a time of fear

And xenophobia.

However

Well meaning

Policy framers

Meant to be.

Whose repercussions

Still being felt

By innocent victims

Today.

Whether

It's the no fly list

Or society's lingering fears

On various religions.

Therisa © 2019

Author’s note: I started writing this poem, on September 11, 2019, as a way to express my feelings about the tragedy that occurred on this date. The deeper that I got, I realized, the entire “war on terror” was misplaced anger and ignorance towards the Molsem community, as a whole, which President Trump has made worse.

Do You Know? (September 22, 2019)

Tears flow

As Diana Ross' vocals

Touches my soul

With her musical questions.

Young child

Naively believing

All of life

Is explainable.

No obstacle

Insurmountable.

Yet

Left doubting

Decisions made.

Lifetime

Of scrapes bruises

And scars.

Chasing heartfelt need

Few understand

Personal sacrifices made.

Leaving behind

Everything

For true happiness.

Answering questions

Asked - so long ago

As a child.

Therisa © 2019  

Author's note: For more than 40 years, the Theme From Mahogany, has been an earwig that refused to leave me. Often, asking myself, these very same questions, without an answer. For the record, I have never seen the movie, Mahogany, but am curious about it. Knowing, its a vehicle to showcase Diana Ross.

Shifting Tides (September 15, 2019)

Many times

Have found myself

Standing on the platform

Waiting for the subway.

Pacing waiting area

Several trains past

Due to crowding.

Trigger for 

Anxiety/panic attacks

As the result

Of bullying and abuse..

Hugging station wall

Like a safety net

From the track's edge.

Scared

Suicidal thoughts

Will win.

Only needs

One time

To be fatal.

Knowing

Not only person

Experiencing this. 

Those

Who "survive"

Their mangled bodies

Leave witnesses traumatized. 

Reading online article

Two local transit systems

Dealing with suicides

A 180° change

Previous policy of silence.

Whenever

Someone attempts suicide

Whether or not

Successful.

Tightrope act

Informing passengers

And preventing copycats

For reason of delay.

Society's stigmas

Towards mental illness

Slowly peels away.

Human cost

No longer ignored.

Annual rising attempts

Successful suicides

And workdays lost

By transit employees

And others.

Solutions

Monetary intensive

Various government levels

Crying poor.

Saving short term pennies

For long term dollars

As the toll mounts.

Either way

It must be paid.

Therisa © 2019 

Author’s note: The article that sparked this poem: https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/longform/subway-suicide-prevention-ttc?webview=true&appname=news-android-app&udid=7f43206c-fe21-42fe-b496-86de9a29fa17&adobe_mc=TS%3D1568497711%7CMCAID%3D5D5AA6ABDE3045D7-28F2582C80E9BEF5

9/11: Haiku (September 11, 2019)

Through the dawn's darkness

The healing light blesses everyone

In its rays of love.

Therisa © 2019

Author's notes: I don't normally write Haiku poetry, but this one wrote itself, in about 10 minutes. I had originally shared this, with Lona, a fellow traveller, on the journey of self-discovery. To me, she is everything that President Trump, isn't; honour, dignity and respect.

World Leader Pretend (September 5, 2019)

Rock star

Working crowds

Inciting rabid chanting fans.

As if

Lyrics to hit songs

On Billboard’s Top 40

With a bullet.

Divisive lightning rod

Drawing destructive energy

With every word/gesture.

Opposition attacked

With inflammatory 

"Red menace."

Rule of law

Suggested guideline

Ignore if conflicting.

Cruel parody

Of unifying voice

Facing economic

And political unrest.

Planetary lungs

Blackened remains

As burning beds

Light the night sky.

While

Rivers run red.

Therisa © 2019

Author's note: When I started writing this poem, about 4 months ago, American President Donald Trump, was the focus for this. In the time since, Brazil, Great Britain, Hungary and Israel have come to occupy my attention for this dubious title. The poem's title is a reference to the song, World Leader Pretend on the 1988 release cd, Green, by R.E.M.

Leeches (September 7, 2019)

We've all met them

People who exist

One type or another

As vampires.

Feasting on

Trusting naive people

Like con artists

They are.

Opening our heart

Mistaken belief

We're helping.

Believing sugary words

Despite evidence

Otherwise.

Sinking ever deeper

Web of lies

Like entrapped flies.

None escape

Without scarring.

Lucky ones

Break their chains

And walk away.

Stronger

Healthier

After healing.

Therisa © 2019

Reflections On The 80th Anniversary (September 7, 2019)

Many

Second World War

Is ancient history.

For myself

It's personal.

Dad - 3 years old

Nazi Germany invaded Poland

(September 1, 1939.)

Living 5

Of next 6 years

The Nederlands - Nazi occupation.

Little is spoken

About those years

Or the Hunger Winter

(December 1944-March 1945).

Hunger Winter's death toll

Ranges from 18,000 (low)

To 22,000 (high)

Mostly older men.

Family members

Old enough to remember

Since died. 

Silent tears

Stream down my face.

Zeitgeist swings back

To fascist populism

Once again.

Xenophobia homophobia

And transphobia 

Positively viewed.

Preying on

Public's fears

And ignorance.

As a transwoman

Having tasted

Its destructive taint.

Wondering

Shall we need

Another global war?

Before taming

These unleashed monsters

That troll society.

Only containing

Never eradicating

Humanity's darkest fears.

Shuddering

At the implicit costs

For our failure

To grow.

Therisa © 2019