Carol A. Hand
Despite prayers for peace
bullets fly and bombs fall faster
killing innocents and madmen alike
dreams of empire forever fading
with each child who dies
Despite eagerly awaiting spring
trees bend and gyrate
as fierce winds roar day and night
propelling heavy driven snow
quickly erasing human footprints
The nokomis listens to the winds
as trees foretell of even harder times ahead
making each urgent new now more pressing
life is still pregnant with possibilities
for weaving healing loving connections
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“The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The realist adjusts the sails.” (William A. Ward)
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Voices from the Margins 
Reblogged this on The Militant Negro™.
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Sharing your timely reflections, Carol… xo
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sweet plea
for sanity, Carol!
may it be so
here in the 4th world 🙂
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Prophetic and heartfelt, Carol. It seems that the gods have become deaf to our pleas.
You express well humankind’s illusion of grandeur when you observe: “heavy driven snow / quickly erasing human footprints”.
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Powerful images form as I read this, dear Carol. As we continue to adjust our sails, let us offer prayers for peace, reconciliation, understanding, acceptance and for love.
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The world is always pregnant for possibilities and change. Each of us are responsible for our part. Beautiful Carol. 💕🌈💚
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Wonderful poem, Carol. I had to look up “nokomis” and Wikipedia says it means “my grandmother” in Ojibway. I think that Mr. Ward misused the word “realist” in his quote. In context he should have used “pragmatist” and not “realist.” It’s a little discussion I’ve had over time as I consider myself very much of a pragmatist, but I’m definitely not a realist. Realism is a philosophy that requires faith to hold on to. How do we know that objects as we observe them exist beyond our perception of them? Just because it seems so?
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sad and true the reality of the times ~ a lovely read
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Your connection with earth is inspiring.
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Thanks. Love the phrase “pregnant with possibility “. Reminds of the birth of each new moment.
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We get what we focus on! 🤞😘
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God does not turn a deaf ear to our prayers. Man has been granted free will and he chooses between good and evil. There are times when the Lord intervenes in man’s decisions to commit evil and/or harmfull acts but there are times when instead He chooses to answer the prayers of the catastrophe’s victims after the fact. So we must keep sending up prayers; it’s just that now the prayers must change to fit the needs of the afflicted. There have always been hard times and there will always be hard times, but the Lord is still all around us and in control. Loved your writing as usual Carol! 🙂 ❤ oxoxoxoxox
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Poignant and on point as always, Carol
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Jeff, it is such a treat to hear from you! Thank you for your thoughtful comments, dear friend. I trust you will be graduating with your law degree in the next few weeks. and look forward to hearing about your exciting new adventures. 🙂
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