Poetry Friday — Taking it Personally

Posted

I talk to my kids about feeling — and recognizing — their own feelings. 
I talk to my students about writing emotional truth — and how that's often more important than "fact". 
I believe in emotional authenticity.
And paying attention to what we feel.
I believe that what we feel matters.

As an adolescent and a teenager, I put up all sorts of walls. 
Actually, I put up walls inside of fences behind curtains.
(I probably only effectively hid things from myself, but there you go…)
It seemed like the thing to do. 
(There were a lot of "messages" out there.)

But one of the great joys of being over 40 is wearing my heart on my sleeve.
Pouring stuff out — on the page or around the dinner table. 
My kids think of me as a crier. 
And they're right…

Personal

BY TONY HOAGLAND

Don’t take it personal, they said;
but I did, I took it all quite personal—

the breeze and the river and the color of the fields;
the price of grapefruit and stamps,

the wet hair of women in the rain—
And I cursed what hurt me

and I praised what gave me joy,
the most simple-minded of possible responses.

Read the rest here….

And read all the other wonderful Poetry Friday entries here…

Happy weekend, friends.
Namaste.

7 Responses to “Poetry Friday — Taking it Personally”

  2. Anonymous

    try to be real

    Well, it’s a marvelous poem about letting it all be out & up front & real & personal just as it said. Wonder how to convince everyone to do this? Or to convince everyone that they must stop saying ‘don’t take it so personal’. Thanks for sharing so personally!

  3. Anonymous

    “Oh life! Can you blame me
    for making a scene?”

    I love this poem. Thank you for sharing it.

    Ruth, from thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com

  4. Anonymous

    Hi Liz, I have a word for this: authenticity. So lovely – this state of being. Thanks for your candor and sharing these lovely thoughts.