Senryu Once there was respect Now I feel only disdain as you slip away Christine Bolton - Poetry for Healing ©
Daily Haiku – Fri. April 17, 2020
Tag: respect
Vicious Cycle
Vicious Cycle
When one’s truth is not spoken
Lines become blurred
Wandering through a fog
Not knowing what was heard
One miscommunication can multiply
Assumptions are for the lazy
Not reading between the lines
Can make things hazy
You understand this
I understand that
Knocking heads together
Trying to avoid another spat
From the comfort of the non-committal
You let things fall where they may
When it is not what you expect
The accusations begin the fray
A tempestuous relationship
Rocking the stability of the union
Blinded by anger
Is living with delusion
A lesson to be learned
Listen to what is said
Stand up for your rights
Being careful where you tread
There is no right
There is no wrong
It is a respect for the other
A commitment to staying strong
Speaking your truth
Not playing any games
Planning accordingly
Avoiding the obvious pain
Expecting the worst
Hoping for the best
Grace under pressure
And always honesty expressed
Christine Bolton – Poetry for Healing ©
Word Prompts:
Photo by Henri Pham on Unsplash
Nefarious
Nefarious
She is kind and thoughtful
Sweet and kind
Always gracious to all
In a peaceful state of mind
She may have discovered herself
In the age of Aquarius
But make no mistake
This angel can be nefarious
Yes poised and serene
Loving all who cross her path
Yet if you mess with her
You will suffer her wrath
This flower child hippy
With love for everyone
Will make your life hell
And you’ll wish to be gone
A feminist who fought
And burned her bra
For her rights as a human
And she is nobody’s squaw
A princess warrior
Grounded and secure
She has fought hard
Admiration is hers to procure
Respect for everyone
If you wish it to be returned
There is no superior gender
Equality is deserved
Christine Bolton
In response to Word of The Day Challenge Nefarious
Biting The Hand That Feeds Us
Biting the hand that feeds us
I heard a news story just the other day that the owner of a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa had been severely mauled by a lion, that he hand-reared from a cub, in a ghastly attack witnessed and filmed by staff and his tourist/clients.The graphic video showed the owner entering the lion’s enclosure and suddenly the lion started running towards him in a threatening manner. The owner tried to get back to the gate but the lion reached him before he could escape and dragged him towards the bushes. The lion began to maul its owner to the horrifying screams of the witnesses.
The good news is the owner is alive and recuperating in hospital with a broken jaw and neck injuries. The sad news is the lion was killed. It appears that the owner was investigating a strange smell in the enclosure that had been upsetting the lion for several days. If only the animal could have communicated what the problem was, right? Well, of course he couldn’t, he was a wild animal. Reared in captivity but still wild by nature.
This story made me realize how tenuous any relationship can be regardless of the species and the love that is shown. Whether a long term partnership or a brief one, there is the possibility of irreparable damage to the relationship for one or the other involved. It can be as simple as drifting away from each other through indifference or as severe as an abusive situation. What is it about us, as a species, that we allow this to happen? In the case of the lion and its owner there was love and respect between them, but there was a language barrier. Between humans there is no excuse. We have the ability to speak. When something disgruntles us or makes us unhappy, as with the lion and the bad smell, we at least, can communicate that verbally. The lion did not have that opportunity. As a result he lost his life and his loving owner ended up in the hospital. In my humble opinion talking to our spouses and partners about everything, good or bad, is the life-blood of a relationship. Communication leads to love, respect and the understanding of each other’s feelings and enables us to grow together. If only the lion and the man had that ability.
Biting The Hand That Feeds Us
Mysterious and wild
Beautiful and brave
The king of the jungle
Went to his grave
He was just a cub
When he was bottle-fed
Raised lovingly in captivity
Until he ended up dead
He loved his owner
And that feeling was shared
Until the fateful day
When his owner got scared
Their eyes locked for a moment
But the message was not understood
One started to advance
The other ran as fast as he could
The hand that fed him
Was about to be bitten
The wild in the animal
Showed he was no longer a kitten
The king was the hunter
The man became the prey
No good would come of this
There were no debts to repay
The man is a mere mortal
An the lion is a beast
So a lesson to be learned
Is that man was almost the feast
Christine Bolton
A Painted Pony
A Unique Bond
As a former owner and lover of horses, and understanding the unique bond that is formed between human and animal, discovering this poem many years ago meant so much to me. It was powerful and mysterious. It reminded me of the respect which is required in order for the two to work as one. It also made clear that one does not own the other.
The author is unknown but through a little research I found that it possibly relates to a desert horse in Africa. However when I read it, it conjures up a vision of a Native American in full warrior dress riding bareback on a painted pony.
I am your equal
I am a wild creature that can never be like you
I have heart, courage, and the game spirit that is my heritage
And I will be respected
I will be taught, and I will please, And maybe in time I will be your intimate
But I will never be your possession
Mine is a fierce love, which knows no mercy for failure
No sympathy for weakness
I have come from the desert with its closeness to the spirit of nature
Which you do not understand
I was born of the Wind
Mine is a warrior spirit
I cannot be humiliated in
punishment or defeated even in death
For my spirit lives on in my children’s children
Unknown