Critical Respect Theory
Racial scarring
reminding of
unhealed pain
Honest study of past
damage leading
into truth
Looking directly deep
into masked
pain light throbs
Opening routine allowing
curiosity and
novel excitement
Dancing with the stranger
staying the course
to make amends
Reclaiming the joy
of moral
health
Confident that critical love
surging from
caring depths
Subdues dissension
honors community
allows healing
And word went out
throughout the land
that God smiled
Sorrow Unmasked
Enigmatic she came alone
clear eyed with a
promise of deep
Before the golden buzzer
I knew she was
better than OK
Multi-tasking cancers
in the background
gave her two per cent
Declining the odds
she intoned her
chance of joy
Don't wait til things
are not hard
to be happy
I held that nugget in
in my mind pondered
it in my soul
She echoed the poet's
tome joy is sorrow
unmasked
Looked deep deeper into
pain and found
sustaining joy
Can it be that blindness
to joy has been my
greatest pain
Restored I bookmarked
the heart shared
wisdom
And joined the chorus
I'm OK, I'm OK
I'm OK, I'm OK, I'm OK
Jane Marczewski sang on America's Got Talent. She was 30 years old, diagnosed with multiple cancers and given a 2% chance of survival. Her musical voice and the music of her spirit so mesmerized the judge's panel that Simon gave her the golden buzzer. Her lyrics included a repetition of "I'm OK, I'm OK" and she ended with the admonition, "You don't have to wait until things are not hard to decide to be happy."
We watched the episode on June 8th. It was reported that Jane Marczewski, also known as Nightbird, died on June 10.
Memorial Days
During the war I
carried an M-1
a reluctant warrior
Honor today those whose
love of country led
into unwanted war
Antonio on his
way to the front
never came home
Respect for those whose
patriotism precluded
the call to arms
Conscientious Steve
refused a gun to
keep the peace
I replay gut wrenching
choice 72* years
and counting
The present valued
by past heroism
of the brave
Dishonored by unshackled
jingoism and
pernicious hate
Gratitude for those who
protect and defend
runs deep
Sorrow for all lives
lost in conflict
forever throbs
I cover my heart
to honor all
veterans of war
I cover my heart
to honor all
veterans of peace
Striving for an alchemy
that turns the glamour
or war into pervasive peace
*I joined the Alabama National Guard when I was 17. By the time we were activated for service in Korea I had begun my ongoing struggle to define a patriotism that leaves room for conscientious objection.
