Dear Self – Poem of the Month – April 2021

Dear Self

No!  You are not Switzerland
You cannot remain neutral forever
It has been a while since we spoke
but I know you are still trying to keep the peace
between your warring families
You love both sides
but in their contempt for each other
you have become invisible
An expectation that you will always be there
Has blinded them to the reality of the damage
They have inflicted on you
When will you ever stop being a doormat for all
Existing somewhere in the DMZ
between the battle lines of their war
They will never see your struggle
Being too wrapped up
In their own bloody mindedness
because they do not love each other
and yet you love them both
It is time for you to say “Enough”
Their needs do not take priority over yours
Live in peace with yourself and attend to them
by all means but, on your terms, always
Your ears must become deaf
to their pleas for attention
For your sanity, promise you will do this for you
 
With much love 
From yourself,
For yourself

 
Copyright © 2021 Christine Bolton - Poetry for Healing
All Rights Reserved

Sanaa from A Dash of Sunny is hosting D'Verse Poets tonight and
has prompted us with Verse Epistle:
For today’s Poetics, I would like you to write a Verse Epistle. Go philosophical, go solemn, go dark or perhaps political, pose a romantic question – as long as your poem emulates the style of the poetic genre– anything goes. Keep in mind that your contribution need not be half as lengthy or flowery as the examples shared above, I aim for this prompt to be wide in scope and enjoyable for all.


Image by Bruno /Germany from Pixabay 

  13 comments for “Dear Self – Poem of the Month – April 2021

  1. March 10, 2021 at 2:26 pm

    This must be a horrible situation to be in.. torn between the different halves, alone in the middle.

    • Christine Bolton
      March 10, 2021 at 9:43 pm

      Unfortunately it is. 😩

  2. March 10, 2021 at 6:49 am

    Wow, Christine. What a difficult place to be! I’m so sorry. The situation did inspire an incredible poem though!

    they do not love each other
    and yet you love them both

    That is just the worst.

    🙁
    David

    • Christine Bolton
      March 10, 2021 at 10:49 am

      Thanks David. Nothing worse than being a peacekeeper 😦

  3. March 10, 2021 at 3:52 am

    I hear you with this one! It’s a great idea to write a letter to yourself, especially when you are the kind of person who gets caught in the middle of things by trying to please everybody but yourself…

    • Christine Bolton
      March 10, 2021 at 10:48 am

      Thank you Ingrid. Yes it is a good idea. ☺️👍

  4. March 9, 2021 at 10:22 pm

    Very well written Christine. Sometimes turning a deaf ear is the best way to handle such situations.

    • Christine Bolton
      March 9, 2021 at 11:30 pm

      Thanks dear Sadje. Yes, that can work in some instances, I agree, but it it can slowly destroy you. I find these situations very selfish and damaging, especially to the peacekeeper 😢

      • March 10, 2021 at 12:32 am

        Exactly right!

  5. March 9, 2021 at 6:40 pm

    This sounds like how kids caught in the middle of a divorce might feel, but it definitely has wider applications.

    • Christine Bolton
      March 9, 2021 at 8:27 pm

      Yes it does I suppose. In this case it was an adult dealing with opposing forces within the family. She probably learned how as a child, like you say 😢

  6. sanaarizvi
    March 9, 2021 at 6:18 pm

    This is eloquently penned. On the surface it feels like one addressing to a future self and infusing courage.. but if we go deeper the poem consists of something that implores on a more worldly level which is what I love about it. Thank you so much for writing to the prompt! 💝💝

    • Christine Bolton
      March 9, 2021 at 8:28 pm

      Thanks Sanaa. Yes it is based on a current situation and the person in the middle is struggling trying to make everyone happy to her own detriment 😢

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