http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber
Today's poem appeared on my general blog yesterday. At an LGBT reader's request, I am posting it here today. Relatively few readers visit this blog now so I may discontinue it by the end of the year. Hopefully, some readers will still find my general poetry blog of some interest. I will not delete the blog so readers can still visit the archives and are welcome to email me any time.
Meanwhile...
Despite the computer hackers, conspiracy theorists, common criminals, those ignoring Covid-19 safety regulations and anyone else hell bent on targeting the human spirit, its resilience to such destructive forces remains an inspiration. Yes, it can feel pain and immeasurable hurt, but in most of us, it is blessed with powers or recuperation, survival and renewal second to none.
Not long ago, I saw an elderly man slip and fall on a plastic coffee cup carelessly thrown on to the pavement. Fortunately, although badly shaken, he was able to raise a smile and reassure me that no bones appeared to be broken, only bruised, and adamantly refused to let me play safe by calling an ambulance. “I can walk, so can’t be too much the worse for wear,” was his lively response, “NHS staff have too much on their plates at the moment with the coronavirus, I can’t go adding a few bruises when there are people’s lives to save…” I gave him my phone number and he promised to call if he needed any help later. As I watched him go, at first a little shakily then with growing confidence, I had to admire the man for an indomitable human spirit not untypical of his generation; it struck me as something quite beautiful, and I felt inspired for witnessing it.
Having felt very unwell recently, that simple act of defying odds and self-resolve to overcome them continues to encourage and inspire me to view the rising threat of a new mutation of Covid-19 with a positive-thinking mindset.
There are, after all, things in life that may well defeat us in part, but never as a whole, given a whole that includes a human spirit that, as likely as not, will leave its mark not only on the Here-and Now, but for generations to come.
'Beauty is power; its smile is a sword . - John Ray
THE SPIRIT WITHIN
World, grown dark,
its peoples sick at heart
for the fears
insinuating mind-body-spirit,
threatening
its positive life forces, giving
negatives
all the excuses they need, and more
to assume control
Powers of darkness,
the likes of prejudice and hate.
attempting
to win over such powers of light
as empathy,
humility, modesty, such love
for humanity
as would always see its natural affinity
with beauty kept safe
Beauty, a feeling for all
that’s right, good and fair, giving
the Spirit of Light
an advantage from the start
over any negatives
that may well find ways to send
humankind
into free fall, have us answer to mortality
even before our time
Beauty, though masking
its finer qualities from time to time
to keep them safe
from such hackers as connive
to turn enough tables
likely to wreak chaos, destruction,
even worse,
engages with the Spirit of Love to mentor all
those who live to learn
Such is the spirit within, empowering humanity
to turn any (apparent) defeat into a victory
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