Make the World a Beautiful Place
This poem is my response to a prompt to write our own take on The World is a Beautiful Place, by Lawrence Ferlinghetti.
The world is a beautiful place,
if you keep your eyes closed
to the news
and your head down
when merely walking up the street.
The world is a beautiful place,
if you shut your ears to the sirens
and cries of inequality
gone on far too long.
The world is a beautiful place,
if you ignore the mouths
of the haters
and grow a thick skin.
The world is a beautiful place,
if you keep your nose
towards the flowers,
and out of the gutters.
The world is a beautiful place,
if your hands reach out,
in kindness,
and not violence.
Lift your gaze to the starry sky.
Hear the wild music of the wind.
Utter beautiful healing words.
Breathe in the scent of morning.
Touch those you meet with all you are,
speaking lovely truths
with eyes, and ears, and hands of love.
Make the world a beautiful place.
©2021 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved
I resonate with so much of what you say here Lisa - find myself avoiding the media more and more - being with nature and real people face to face is how we will sing and heal ourselves again... Bravo for your powerful write.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteEvery word of your poem ... true ... and beautifully crafted!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much!
DeleteHow important it is to enjoy life and not be upset by what others are doing elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly makes life calmer, not concerning ourselves with others.
DeleteThis poem makes the world a far more beautiful place. Thanks. Lawrence would love it, I think.
ReplyDeleteSoon (beginning of July?) Jambu Press will be publishing a tribute anthology (works solicited before the great man's demise) which will include one of my poems ("Candy") about how his poem about "falling in love in the pennycandy store under the el" inspired me as a baby poet.
You can read about / oreder the anthology (entitled Light on the Walls of Life) here: https://rlavalette.wordpress.com/2021/06/06/dharma-sunrise/
Ferlinghetti is the reason I started writing poetry about half a century ago. I had a poem published several years back that concludes by telling EXACTLY how & why Mr Ferlinghetti got me started. It's called "Grace" & you can find it (on my blog) here: https://wordpress.com/post/rlavalette.wordpress.com/24988
Thank you for letting me know this! And thank you for the compliment.
DeleteThat's what I was going to say! The ending is magnificent!
ReplyDeleteThank you. :)
DeleteWell said! Lovely, the way you switched it to the more positive and proactive.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much.
DeleteThe last line says is all. But not without the stanzas that precedes it. For in order to make the world a beautiful place, we must acknowledge the bad--do something about it--and still focus on all the good that remains.
ReplyDeleteI really like this one.
I'm so glad you like it.
DeleteYes, make the world a beautiful place! We move through all the bad of life holding on to the good things that urge us to do what we can to change the ugly.
ReplyDeleteThat's so true.
DeleteI loved the power in the pivot and how it calls the reader in to the act of creation of kindness in the world.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you liked it.
DeleteSuch a beautiful reminder to be aware of the beauty around us ... it's always there and so often ignored.
ReplyDeleteThat's true, we go about our day with blinders on.
DeleteLove the twists here and the message is spot-on!
ReplyDeleteThank you for letting me know that! :)
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