Ahhh, poetry is in the air, and the Dalai Lama is in Ann Arbor (or he will be on April 20th!). Consider the prompts below and write a poem of at least 8 lines and post here by Monday, March 31st. We will submit some poems (with your permission) to a writing contest sponsored by Washtenaw Local Schools. All the prompts deal with themes found in the Dalai Lama's work: peace, compassion, caring for the environment, and kindness. You may use these prompts or feel free to explore one or more of these themes in your own way. Students will be selected to read their poems to the Dalai Lama himself on April 20th in Ann Arbor and will receive free admittance to his discussion as well.
1. Personification Poem
Write a free-verse poem in which you personify a concept, such as Peace, Compassion, Sustainability (Caring for the Environment) or Kindness. First, describe the notion as a physical entity that has form, moves and, acts. Then have this entity do something, affecting your world in some specific way.
2. House Poem
Write a free-verse poem in which you discover and explore the great house of Peace, Sustainability, Harmony or Kindness. Describe the house from the outside and the inside. You may choose to make something happen between you and the resident of this house.
3. Landscape Poem
Write a free-verse poem that describes the country know far and wide as Peace or as Harmony, or as Sustainability or as Kindness. Describe the landscape from an airplane window view. Describe it from the on-the-ground view. Have the place change you in some way.
4. Transformation Poem
Write a free-verse poem in which the world as you know it becomes transformed by Peace, Kindness, Sustainability or Harmony. Describe what happens in the international world, the world around you and in your own personal life.
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From far above land-
I see the sand.
The beachy shores-
The ocean floors.
I see the trees.
Imagine the breeze.
They swing and sway-
The children play.
I see the buildings-
Some big some small.
They appear to accept-
Not one, but All.
From high above
I feel the love.
I would never guess-
The world is a mess.
While on the ground
I hear no sound
Of children playing,
Or tree branches swaying.
All that I hear
Are screams of fear.
A mother cries-
Her eldest son dies.
A job is lost
At a families cost.
A fathers scorn-
A child goes unborn.
Lies and corruption-
A volcanic eruption-
A husband cheats-
A wife he beats.
This must all be a dream-
A clever scheme.
The view from the sky
Can't be a lie.
I guess the joke is on me-
For I did not see.
From way up here-
I felt no fear.
My eyes deceived
And i believed.
In my mind
The world was kind.
The Deepest Feeling
It spreads like wildfire, ready to attack
Wanting, Waiting, Wishing,
Possessing the next soul that falls victim.
It’s that feeling that disperses
When one person gets it.
It takes the shape of a girl
Cradling her friend, who just got let go.
Or a boy running over to another
Helping him up off the ground,
Because he just got beat up.
It’s that feeling that takes form
When one gives to another,
By sharing necessities to help others survive.
When one helps those in need,
By giving food to those who have none.
It’s that feeling that ignites in fury
Shown when people are fighting
For a cause they strongly believe in.
When people donate money
To help a little girl who has no hair.
It’s that feeling known world wide.
When one aids a land of many,
Battling through conflict and turmoil.
It punctures a hole in controversy
Scattering all over.
What is this feeling?
That creates such love and joy?
It is compassion.
Now you know,
Now you can spread it.
Pass the Torch
Born of hope, heat, and light
The Torch was passed to me.
From country to country, man to man
Everyone is going to see.
The goal to burn within every being
The soul will ignite in flame.
From time to time the light may flicker
But never will it wane.
From Brazil to Zambia, Peru and Moscow
My time to embark on this journey and light the world, starts now.
I have seen the hungry child, the devastated, and the poor
The flame has passed through blood drops and gore.
And though the flame may flicker
Never will it fade.
I wil rekindle every spirit
Every person will know this name
Of love, life, and illumination
No person will be the same.
So raise the flag with the emblem of Fire!
Raise it all the higher!
I will not stop. I will not rest.
The Torch was passed to me.
Way up in the air
the world seems so small.
I do not hear the chaos down below,
but the peace up in the air.
Way up in the air
the mountains seem so tall
and the people seem so small.
Way up in the air
I see buildings both big and small
I see once dense and lush forests disappearing.
Way up in the air
I see all the hatred down below
I see people killing and people stealing.
I see people dying and others crying.
Way up in the air
It seems as though chaos is the dominant force down there, while peace and harmony are the dominat forces up here --- way up in the air.
Journey
Peace walks the Earth.
An akward talon stretching afar,
clenching for grounded support.
Peace soars over the Earth.
Its wingspan engulfs society,
Shielding it from despair.
Embracing Olive branch in flight,
and cultivating freedom to willful hearts.
Living in this Love
It wraps its warm arms around me and captivates my soul.
It flows through the towns, inside the churches, across the seas.
Love is the sweet song that connects all humans.
The harmony lures the lusted in.
It holds the melody close, allowing very few to experience the sweet bliss.
Love acts in strange ways.
It connects and strengthens many people.
Like the first ray of sunshine through the dark, stormy clouds, love brightens my life.
Forever in a state of delight, it carries me through the day.
A sweet song fills my ears as I hear his voice.
The one that can make me feel like no other.
The true love that pulls me out of bed every morning and lays me down to sleep every night.
Without this love, I have nothing so strong to live for.
I believe that I am living in this love.
Sheltering the homeless
Clothing the naked
Feeding the hungry
Vindicating the opressed
Listening ear for those in distress
Helping hand for those in need
A hug for the broken-hearted
Feet that walk towards peace, and tread on persecution
a look around and not a sound is heard
a silence so still
a conifer's branch sags under the weight
a rabbit stirs in its sleep
this is a new world
this air is crisp and cold
this land under a snowy sky
no problems, no corruption
dark on the inside - emptiness, trapped
there is no escape
bright outside - silence, freedom
a white so pristine you need sunglasses
the door is opening
a window raised
step outside, feel the aura
this is a changed place
As I look down from above what do I see?
The world as it is and what it will be.
As we continue to waste and not notice in our haste,
The resources we use and never bother to replace.
The trees we cut down and the water we poison
The coal we burn and the oil we take from the ground
People notice the mess but don’t make a sound.
When I return home I start to think
About what I am doing,
by just letting the water run freely in the sink.
By driving my car
Rather than walking a mile
Treating this wonderful Earth
Like it was going out of style.
People have two eyes but they do not see
What the world is, or what it will be.
High in the Sky
I see the world from up high
The window of a plane
The window in the sky
Serves as my picture frame
Like a great patch work quilt
The ground below looks
A great quilt that God alone built
Built and entrusted us to love and protect
But as I get closer to the land below
I see smokes stacks burning
I witness their ghastly glow
Exhaust fumes choke the air
I think to myself how peaceful
It is high in the sky
I think of pollution, destruction
And let out a sigh
Is there no end to this
Sore on humanity?
I ponder the notion,
Will my children be free?
(Mrs. Heartz, please do not submit to the contest)
Aspirations for a Tranquil Earth
In an expansive periphery of obscurity persists a spinning sphere,
Scintillating with the essence of paradise.
Breezes billow serenely through pristine forests,
While pure rain from an azure atmosphere cascades.
Creatures of the arctic frolic amidst glistening crystals of snow,
As the placid tide's soothing melody resonates on a tropical shore.
At the sphere's heart, matter of yesterday transforms into the fuels of tomorrow,
While the receding rays of the lustrous sun promise to radiate anew.
But with the subsequent pivot of this genuine globe,
Must these winds with ashen granules gust?
Through scant, suffocating forests with vegetation cleaved?
Does the next revolution offer corrosive precipitation,
Adulterating the natural bounty of the expansive terrain?
Will a looming gyration render the fusion of arctic beauty,
An excessive elevation of climatic enthalpy?
Heightened sensitivity to augmenting dilemmas
Increases the prospect of future sustainability.
However, only the human species,
The inciter of such dismaying disturbances,
Can endeavor to restore this enthralling Earth
To its natural tranquility.
Past rotations of this aging planet possess an irreversibility,
But aspirations of a harmonious world carry promising possibility.
The sounds blend one by one
They caress us with their perfect harmony
The world on our shoulders no longer weighs a ton.
The kind grass tickles our bare feet,
while we feel the dew awaken our senses.
Our hearts skip a beat.
The sun warms us as it creeps over the hills.
It sends peace and bliss through the country.
Ofcourse this would all be true if we weren't all looking over our window sills.
As I walk
through this land of mine
I see people living as one;
a giant functional family
People work to gether to live
The world is now at Peace
War is over
Greed is now on the other side
Mankind has passed complexity
To simplicity on the other side
Steps Apart
By Rebecca Howe
Slow and rolling.
cliimbing and falling with each motion.
Gently grating against the rocks.
Rise and growing.
Comsuming and destroying.
Gaining strength as it preceeds forward.
Wild and seething.
Disturbing and exploding at is pinnicle.
Anger conveyed in response.
Persistant and earning.
Weakening and confusing tussle.
Tension washing up change.
Explanation and understanding.
Trusting and mending the peace.
Gradually residing to its new found status.
Tranquil and reconciling.
Hoping and believing for the future.
Harmony restores with a subtle delicacy.
Wise and teaching.
Learning and showing the true message.
Casually strolling upon the ground rocks.
You will not catch him,
for he is on the run.
Don't try and stop him,
for his work is not yet done.
There are some who have never seen his face.
Every time they try to capture him, he vanishes without a trace.
And each time they let him escape,
they are filled with aggravation.
For they know he will spread his message all across the nation.
His message is quite simple, but powerful indeed.
"Take care of this world and reach out to those in need."
Someday, maybe all people will meet this man and follow his way.
But until then, it is in your hands to change the world-
and you can start today.
As I sit in the plane above,
I close my eyes and imagine love.
I look down on the land below,
And the feelings inside me begin to grow.
Desolate fields become full to the brim,
while the ocean life below-in harmony-they swim.
Animals graze by the light of the sun,
And the people beyond, in meadows, they run.
I step off of that plane and I breathe it in,
As the sweet smells of jasmine cover up my sins.
The wonder and beauty fill my eyes,
To the Country of Peace, I arrive.
Compassions Attributes:
People are mourning the loss of a loved one
And compassion comes knocking at my door
Telling me to console, to comfort
And to be a friend.
A soldier goes off to war
Leaving a broken family to do nothing but worry
Compassion once again whispers to my heart
To console, to comfort
And to be a friend.
My dreams get shattered and my hopes fade away
Bringing me pain and agony
But compassion is there for me this time
To console, to comfort
And to be my friend.
Kindness
It’s often over looked by the human eye
But it’s there
The few good people, living in the world
Doing something to prove they care
Whether it’s saving the planet or a friendship
It’s there
It arises from the missionaries, and soup kitchens
In warm smiles and loving hearts
The helping of a friend in need
It’s there
Every night it’s prayed for
Every day it’s displayed by few
But still, its there
What would the world be like with out It…?
Kindness
Peace: Speak To Me
Peace speaks to me
It whispers softly as it walks by me
The breeze is warm now, not like the cold winter chill
Peace is content
Peace brightens the day, it has hope
it knows the beauty of the world but
As it walks by, and sees the hatred
it begings to change
Peace talks to me
It tells me to help
Help rid the world of hatred
I try, but I cannot
Peace starts to scream
Help the world, you need to help
The breeze has stopped now,
It has become hot
Peace seems disappointed
It frowns as it sees the world
A dark place with deceit and despair
A barren place, war in the air
Peace has left now
It is enraged by what is has seen
A once beautiful world
Now full of hatred,
Peace thinks now
And begins to smile
For it knows the world can become better
With is help, we can live in harmony
Peace has hope
we will be friends again
peace has hope
and so do I
Foundation of truth
Walls of trust
Windows of openness
Lit by the future
Painted by the past
The house of peace stands
unstable on this earth
Built by the few
Maintaned by the fewer
No one paying the bills
Everyone flocking to live there
Without a better plan
the house will fall.
As i look upon the world i see
families living happily
children playing amongst the trees
happiness carried by the breeze
War is gone only peace remains
no more thieves bound by chains
no more crying, no more pains
no more tears left in the rain
Different races together as one
dirty deeds no longer done
no more violence, there is none
the transformation has begun
The world becomes a better place
people no longer torn by race
war and poverty are erased
by kindness, happiness, love, and grace
I wish a world like this could be
where different views could now agree
where everyone lives happily
where peace and love is all i see.
Love
I'm Found through people
I walk in Christ
I can glisten a day
of Misery and Strife.
No comforting arms
are quite like mine
I won't leave a soul
until it can Shine.
many don't express Me
in Correct ways
Hofully they'll learn
through the days.
If you walk with me
until your last breath
There is nothing to fear
not even death.
Faith, Hope, and I remain
The greatest is love, not pain
Keep these and I'll see you someday
In a place far far away.
People dying
Children crying
One man kills
While another takes pills
So many full of greed
The world is in need
When we need help the most
Peace gives us a dose
Its medicine full of love and hope
It helps us to cope
The world has Peace
The sadness will cease
We live in love
We have risen above
(Mrs. Heartz, please do not submit this to the contest).
Through the Flames
This world, our world.
Countless years ravaged with the likeness of
Brutality and cruelty.
Indecency becomes an understatement.
Enough consequently became enough.
Single-mindedness turned to acceptance.
Oblivion to awareness.
Reluctance to achievement.
Unity became the only road.
One in which we could not stray.
Passion spread through flames.
Love filled every light.
Hand-in-hand
Harmony spread through the barrier walls
-filling.
I feel the satisfaction.
The world as it seems
Comes into a new perspective.
Its true colors.
This world,
Our world
SIMPLICITY
Kindergarden kids running and playing,
one kid give to another
sharing was the word.
Those kids grow up
the world gets bigger,
more people more inequality
deprived and in need are some,
others surrounded by money
think back to those kindergarden days,
so that person may give to the other,
sharing is the word.
Here come the blessed - Grace!
Spirit born she must be
She glows with life, laughter, and Love,
And sees kindness in everything.
She alone has heart -shaped eyes
That shines with a Sapphire Light;
Giving the misguided ones
A chance to set things right.
Her voice flows on the air,
Like honey dew so sweet,
Comforting and consoling,
Till the grieving are asleep.
With compassion burning in her eyes
She steps to her battle field,
And with a swift - lovely movement
She silences the suffering.
Now she may fade from view,
Cloaked by gray and mist,
But she is always watching,
Always waiting in the midst.
Here come the blessed - Grace!
Born from the natural sea.
For peace, love and empathy
Is what she’ll always be.
The epidemic
Those who know him, know him well.
Compassion.
He is taller than the tallest man. And when he walks it seems his head brushes the moon, gently, for Compassion is never harsh.
And his hands can reach out and touch the ends of the earth.
Whomever he touches is filled with warmth.
He is as contagious as a deadly disease.
Spreading freely from one person to the next.
An epidemic.
I saw him.
He had a newly born child.
He held her with such tenderness and care.
He protected her from the world.
He touched me that day with his contagious warmth.
Soon I was infecting others.
Compassion.
Those who know him, know him well.
What would happen…
If we gave more than we took?
If we thought of others first?
If Kindness ruled the world?
Tragedies could be avoided
lives that would be lost, Won
diseases that once ran rampant
would succumb
Starvation would cease round the world
from the far corners of Asia
to the slums of Africa
and the buzzing cities of south America
Mindless violence would disband
we would no longer see Race
people would just be people
all Equal, all Free
They say that Peace never truly existed,
And that it never will,
And that it is real as the city of El Doraldo.
Yet I have seen this place before,
In my hopes and dreams,
It is a beautiful place, with clear lakes and skies.
Free of the pollution and gloom
Brought on by hatred and fear.
I have never seen happier people,
who live with so little yet have so much.
Rich in happiness,
adorned in love and hope.
As they live in a place without violence or corruption,
Without so much as a frown or a tear.
They say that Peace never truly existed,
And that it never will.
But why is it that something so simple
Is so hard to find?
UNTITLED
I know not what I seek
Searching through my mind’s forest.
Knobby tree branches beckon me,
Pulling me toward my nameless treasure.
Then I See her.
Beautiful.
Her hair falls in waves of Peace
And her garment is woven of Justice.
She beckons me to The Pool beside her.
Pearly stones line the dark basin
And I stare at the trickles of Reality:
Fear swoops upon the innocent
And Hunger devours the poor
Feasting upon their shriveled limbs.
War ravages the land;
The dew on the grass is colored red.
And Hate delights in this suffering,
Laughing at this perpetuated sorrow
Too much.
I cannot contain this pain ripping through me.
It screams for righteousness .
I must rescue my brethren from their torture.
I beg for her help.
She knows my pain,
For she shares it.
She moves again to The Pool.
Her fingers glide upon the water;
Ripples of light soar across the surface
And I stare at this new haven:
Joy embraces the downtrodden
And fills their souls with hope.
War is forgotten
And Hate is overthrown,
Replaced with Love.
And Love delights in this newfound hope,
Laughing with the new world that has been created.
I look away from this wondrous sight
And realize it is not reality.
The World is yet to become whole.
But she reassures me
And she leads me back through the forest.
Mossy carpets cushion our walk to The Edge.
And before I wake,
I know what I must do.
I do not have locks of Peace
Nor gowns of Justice,
But I have Love in my heart
And I can make a change.
Sorry this is a little long
Pages
I stand in awe
Before me lies an enormous book
And all around me are people
Mostly groups of strangers
With familiar faces speckled between
Curiosity gets the better of us
And a single man with face in shadow
Reaches out to touch it
A page slides by
On the page a man is painted
He is dying
Soon another passes
And another
And another
We watch in horror
The atrocities race by
Faster and faster they pour into our hearts
Even though the deaths are distant
I feel them at my side
My hand moves forward to stop it
But I cannot
I slow the pages an unnoticeable degree
Each page, stained with uncountable lives
Wears on me
Tears at me
As i feel myself ready to give
A bystanding hand pushes forward
Together we strain
Another hand joins in
And another
And another
And the pages slow
Faces I had not noticed before join
With chapters to spare the book stops
It becomes clear
Peace is not a thing
Peace is an action
And alone we are a pebble to the tides
Together we are a mountain to the stream
As one we can make it stop
The hate
The pain
The fear
But we can never reverse it
So we must proceed with haste
And place our hand forward
Before its too late
Here is my revised poem...
House of Peace
By: Josh Perry
Foundation of truth
Walls of trust
Windows of openness
Lit by the future
Painted by the past
the house of peace Stands
unstable on this earth
Built by the few
Maintained by the fewer
no one Paying the bills
everyone Flocking to live there
Without a better plan
the house will Fall.
As she runs her wild curls fly behind her-
the strands of sand matted and tangled up in one another.
I gaze into her eyes of emerald and get lost as they burst into a cirtusy orange.
As I search into her eyes I am drawn into their innocence.
I watch her play as the walls that surround her crumble down-
she doesn't notice.
Little sister, if I could only protect you from the pain I would.
For now in the days of your youth you are unaware of the true background that haunts you-
the dangerous lies creeping just over your shoulder.
I wish you could stay this way,
but all little girls eventually grow up-
for I was just one yesterday.
As she runs her wild curls fly behind her-
the strands of sand matted and tangled up in one another.
I gaze into her eyes of emerald,
and get lost as they burst into a citrusy orange.
As I search into her eyes I am drawn into their innocence.
I watch her play as the walls that surround her crumble down.
Little sister, if I could only protect you from the pain I would.
For in your youth you are unaware of the backdrop behind you, and the dangerous lies that creep just over your shoulder.
But it won't stay that way-
all little girls grow up sister,
for I was just one yesterday.
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