A Poet's Voice

I cannot stop the wind from blowing
Nor still the ocean’s tide;
A rose will bloom without my knowing
To adorn an Autumn bride.
Yet I can stretch a loving hand
To embrace a frightened child,
By greed its rights denied.

I cannot halt empires from growing
Nor make the rich provide;
A war will rage without foreknowing
To scourge fair countryside.
Yet I can join the crescent throng
Refusing to abide
While innocents have died.

Let this be sculpted on my tomb:
That I did not my eyes blindfold
Nor close my heart to doom,
But rather with a poet’s voice
All shameful deeds retold.

About This Poem

Review Request Direction: What did you think of my title?
How was my language use?
What did you think of the rhythm or pattern or pacing?
How does this theme appeal to you?
How was the beginning/ending of the poem?
Is the internal logic consistent?

Review Request Intensity: I appreciate moderate constructive criticism

Editing Stage: Editing - rough draft

About the Author

Region, Country: Río Negro, Argentine Patagonia, ARG

Favorite Poets: Sylvia Plath, T.S. Elliot. Shakespeare, Gongora, Beckett, etc. Many others, such as Cervantes. I have to thank my mother because she read poetry to me from the cradle, so first I learned by memory and soon understood the words. Grammar comes naturally at about 5 years old, without any formal teaching.

Comments

Rula

5 years 1 month ago

Hello Gracy

You give the poet the strongest voice. Poets are the dream makers, aren't they?
I would entitle this as "The Dream Makers" or sth like this, Just a thought , yours still works well.
Thank you for sharing,

Lavender

5 years 1 month ago

Hello, Gracy

You certainly do have a poet's voice in expressing your care and concern for humankind and the earth. I'm reminded of the poetry and music of the sixties - words with a purpose.
Thank you!
Lavender

Geezer

5 years 1 month ago

yeah...

I do believe that you would have made a big splash in the sixties. Nice stuff for an open mike night.
~ Gee.
.

Gracy

5 years 1 month ago

Hello Rula, that's a good

Hello Rula, that's a good idea for the title. Well, yes, I think poets express in a few lines what philosophers use up whole tomes for wise stuff. Aristotle himself says it in his "Poetics" and probably in "Rhetorics". Not that my poem says all the wise stuff, far from it!
Tx!

Gracy

5 years 1 month ago

Thank you, Lavender. I guess

Thank you, Lavender. I guess I'm a sixties gal... But we have lots of youngsters defending Earth right now, so it's in cycles.
Glad you came by and commented.

Gracy

5 years 1 month ago

Jerry, thanks for the kind

Jerry, thanks for the kind comments. I don't consider myself a wise gal. I wrote this about 30 years ago. I hope it doesn't sound too grandiose.
Looking forward to a duo from you and Lynda.