hope
kicks
you
when you need it
if you must
cry
scream (it’s unfair)
swear (every word you can think of)
snot running,
mascara flowing
down your chin
allow it
for one hour
or one day
eat chocolate
eat the cake
the whole damn thing
pity party
like there’s no tomorrow
if that’s what it takes
and then
you get up
Get
Up
big girl
get off the floor
it won’t let you stay there
hope
kicks
you
when you need it
reminds you
it is the thing
with feathers
and wings that sing
your truth to you
when you’ve forgotten
how to fly
Copyright 2013 Jennifer Wagner
Inspired by my all time favorite poem by Emily Dickinson, “Hope” is the thing with feathers.
Great to read this and emily dickinson too. Loved where you took it. A cry out to all those set on giving up. We all need hope to kick us once in a while. Have a hope-filled day :-)
ReplyDeleteI'll take that day :-) thank you very much!
DeleteVery cool blog. Interesting posts. ;)
ReplyDeleteNice atmosphere guests with you here on the blog. ;]
Yours. Have a nice day. !
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I'm very concerned about this, please. :)
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Thanks for dropping by :)
DeleteA poem of hope...I love it :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Keith!
DeleteLove this Jennifer, especially your last stanza "wings that sing your truth to you when you've forgotten how to fly" amazing!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Lisa :-)
Deletea lovely message, "hope kicks you when you need it." in the meantime, I agree "eat chocolate, eat the cake, eat the whole damn thing!"
ReplyDeleteDo whatcha gotta do! Thank you miss rmp.
Deleteah i love this...powerful piece...and i love the action in your voice...SCREAM...ha...and parenthesis....i dont mind a kick from hope...smiles.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your thoughts so much Brian. hmmm....I may use scream in caps in the edit.
DeleteLovely nod, Jennifer, to one of my favorite poets. Indeed, hope does kick you when you need it. Well, hope and kids - who (as you shared in another touching poem) always seem to have the knack of keeping you keeping on, no matter what. Smiles!
ReplyDeleteThat they do Wendy...smiles back wonderful lady!
DeleteReally enjoy hope as a much more vibrant and aggressive entity that that "thing with wings." Terrific!
ReplyDelete'vibrant' I love that as a description of hope!
DeleteAs long as we have hope, we go on. powerful words.
ReplyDeleteWe can indeed go on...
DeleteI like the progression of this - at the beginning I thought is was going to be a lot more pessimistic than it turned out! (And that makes it work better, too).
ReplyDeleteThanks so much p-d.
DeleteSome days I wait--in futility--for hope to kick me, but sooner or later, hope does come sneaking back with a whack, and I am off the floor again!
ReplyDeleteWhirling with James Joyce
I'll hope for hope to kick in a bit quicker for you ;)
Deleteget off the floor
ReplyDeleteit won’t let you stay there
hope kicks you
when you need it
Truly said Jenny! Hope is not passive. One has to do something to trigger it off! Nicely!
Hank
'Hope is not passive'...'truly said' right back on ya Hank! Hope is active!
DeleteYour description of hopelessness-pity partying and cake eating- is vivid. This only adds to the need for hope to kick.
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by and commenting Charleen.
DeleteThis has a wonderful message; and I agree with it. Hope does indeed kick you when you need it. Thank goodness for HOPE to give one that needed kick where it counts. Keep this poem handy for those difficult days!!
ReplyDeleteGood advice! :-)
DeleteLove your description of the pity party, identified with each and every one of those actions, except the chocolate cake must have ice cream on it, lol. Emily's hope poem is one of my favorites as well. Thank you for this one,
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
http://1sojournal.wordpress.com/2008/11/07/one-of-those-days/
mmm...ice cream...thanks so much for commenting Elizabeth!
DeleteMay it ever be so, hope kicks. Wonderful poem of hope and the realization comes that no feeling is forever.
ReplyDeleteSo true...this too shall pass... Thanks so much Judy! :-)
DeleteYes I have a permanent bruise on my butt from those constant kicks, good one ;-)
ReplyDeleteGlad you keep getting up!
Delete"it is the thing
ReplyDeletewith feathers
and wings that sing
your truth to you
when you’ve forgotten
how to fly "
gorgeous!
I like venting my frustrations and anger because I feel better afterwards ~ I wouldn't mind if someone kicks me off the floor to remind me that I can fly ~
ReplyDeleteYou definitely do fly Grace...love your work...
DeleteLove the images and the message here. I like the idea that 'hope' kick starts your life again. I especially like the lines "and wings that sing
ReplyDeleteyour truth to you
when you’ve forgotten
how to fly"
Beautiful piece.
Thanks so much Mario. I really appreciate your thoughts on it sir.
DeleteLove this!
ReplyDeleteThank you ma'am!
DeleteBeautiful write. I really love the message here.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely a message I have lived. Thanks Kiana.
DeleteI LOVE this! And will take your advice about eating the cake - those are the words I've been waiting to hear:)
ReplyDeleteYup. Hope gets us back up off the floor - what's that movie? Hope And a Little Sugar?
ha Sherry! The cake is all yours! Haven't heard of that movie...I'll have to check it out.
DeleteI too love it! I needed that kick-my feathers have been ruffled. I am stretching my wings and searching for more hope and chocolate1 <3 our poem! Thank you~
ReplyDeleteStretch those wings...you soar Ella...you are amazing.
DeleteIt kicks and I like it.
ReplyDeleteha :-D
DeleteI love this, hope is one of my favorite things in life, and I love your take on it!
ReplyDeleteHope is one of my favs too!
DeleteFlippin' fabulous in form and intent. You rocked this one.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.kimnelsonwrites.com/2013/01/16/wonder/
That is a compliment to me indeed :-)
Deletevery powerful words,good poems.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tatius.
DeleteThis is just great. I love the concept and the expert instruction. Let yourself get down, and then, pick it up - because hope kicks! Love it.
ReplyDeleteSuper honored by your words Nan!
DeleteHope kicks it! You knocked it. Excellent!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much!
DeleteSuch a good message, so well delivered in your poem. Great job!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the compliment Mad--very much appreciated.
DeleteI adore how you've permitted the undignified steps of healing...how excellently human and realistic.
ReplyDeleteI could never explain this, but, I love the concept of "hope" doing something violent.
Ha! Jack, I do think I would like to read your poetic explanation though...thanks much sir.
DeleteYes, hope does kick when you're about to give up. And eating chocolate is what I do when I'm a bit low ;)
ReplyDeleteSometimes it's just the thing :)
DeleteBack again on Monday here, Jennifer. Thanks for your comment today in my blog. I always enjoy your poetry and would be most happy to read a poem from YOU every day as well!
ReplyDeleteYou are going to inspire me, I just may have to do this!
DeleteLove how you combined the line from Emily Dickinson with the viseral, almost violent side of hope.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kateri...hope is a powerful thing...thank you!
DeleteAbsolutely!! I agree with you and you've stated it authentically...bravo!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Hannah! Wrote it how I know it...
DeleteVery good poem. I like how you structured it. So positive as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting BB--really appreciate your thoughts.
Deletenot soft with feathers, sometimes, but wearing heavy boots.
ReplyDeletei really like the voice in this piece. bravo!
Marian, thank you!
DeleteAh what a way to state hope! It is when we are a mess we so need it!
ReplyDeleteOh you have spoken the truth!
DeletePity Party! OMG I love that. Haha! Also lovely relation to wings that lift you up in sorrow. Hope kicks in. So true. Beautiful play with words. Awesome Jennifer!
ReplyDeleteThank you Chhavi :)
DeleteTruly a shuttlecock recipe for living.
ReplyDeleteSo well written.
Wonder how mucus crept in there.
BTW, chocolate in its purest form [80% +] is a known depressant, contrary to what many believe.
Thanks much aprille!
DeleteDark chocolate also increases blood flow to your brain and heart improving cognitive function, contains PEA (which triggers endorphins), and antioxidants. It can also lower your blood pressure too, among other health benefits.
i LOVE this, Jennifer! we must hold onto hope, however thin a shred. and there's nothing wrong with a little pity party as long as we don't let it consume us.
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing the Emily Dickinson poem ~ i love it, too!
♥
Thanks so much Dani!
DeleteIts a good thing...wea all need that swift kick in the ass. Many times, hope comes in the guise of a good friend with pointy boots....lol. Great writing.
ReplyDeletePointy boots...ouch...if that's what it takes! Thanks for reading and commenting!
DeleteExcellent read. I always smile when I encounter that phrase pity party. Good work. Mine is at:
ReplyDeletehttp://miskmask.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/some-light-borealis-music/
Misky, you wonderful poet, thank you...a great compliment to me.
Deleteeat the cake
ReplyDeletethe whole damn thing
This poem does a great job of sympathizing and "energizing" with a at once compassionate understanding voice, but then it says "enough!" The best of friends (and the best of parents) do this. Love where you get your inspiration from as well! :)
Your are right...thank God for those kinds of people in our lives who love us enough to allow the process but encourage us not to give up, and to get back up. Always appreciate your words Margaret!
Delete