I had a dream of soft clouds and warm sunshine

And then I woke

and found jagged rocks

and cold snow.

I wanted to change things

So I took up the weapon mightier than the sword.

Let my ideas swim and flow

from mind to paper.

But the writing we are trained for is

“Metaphor, Simile, Imagery

Blah, blah.”

Poetry isn’t about lit terms and analysis

It’s about freedom and expression

Emotions!

Love and hate

Tears and joy

Which I convey

Using the flowing fountain of my pen

To an imaginary audience that will proclaim me as

One of the Greats

One who’s writing has touched lives and sparked lively discussions

Not discussions to

tear

apart

each

word

to

look

for essay-writing topics

But discussions about relevant issues and how to solve them.

I want to raise awareness

Call to action!

Sound the trumpets and yell VIVE LA FRANCE!

Write and sing and fight for what I believe in

The raw emotion and persuasive words

For words are the greatest weapons

The best shields

There is no word

to describe the awesome power

of the words that I will use to spark a flame.

A warming, healing flame

To burn away hatred and injustice

And pave the way for acceptance and love.

Because

I WRITE FOR THE WORLD!

Because our world cannot listen!

It is swollen with conflicting cacophonous shrieks

About religion

And gender

And rights

Yet none of those are at fault;

Religion

Gender

Rights

They are and will be,

and they deserve respect.

Yet the world screams

MINE

YOURS

THEIRS.

Everyone is divided by

Sharp barbed-wire hate

That scratches my skin,

Catches on to the surface,

Digs in,

And causes the bloody tears to pour forth.

These barbs are thrown by those who make accusatory, irrational arguments

Who speak – no, yell

Who rarely hear

And never listen.

Who let their own judgment become clouded

with the meteorological disaster of selfish desire.

The world needs the balm of rationality and love.

To soothe the injuries made by the thorns of hateful ignorance.

And words are the only tool I have to help that healing begin.