Thursday, January 24, 2013

Emily (Hope Kicks)


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.

89 comments:

ND Mitchell said...

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 :-)

Patrycja (photoopassion) said...

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Nice atmosphere guests with you here on the blog. ;]
Yours. Have a nice day. !

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Optimistic Existentialist said...

A poem of hope...I love it :)

Lisa Williams said...

Love this Jennifer, especially your last stanza "wings that sing your truth to you when you've forgotten how to fly" amazing!

RMP said...

a lovely message, "hope kicks you when you need it." in the meantime, I agree "eat chocolate, eat the cake, eat the whole damn thing!"

Brian Miller said...

ah 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.

Jennifer Wagner said...

I'll take that day :-) thank you very much!

Jennifer Wagner said...

Thanks for dropping by :)

Jennifer Wagner said...

Thanks Keith!

Wendy Bourke said...

Lovely 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!

Jennifer Wagner said...

Thanks so much Lisa :-)

Jennifer Wagner said...

Do whatcha gotta do! Thank you miss rmp.

Jennifer Wagner said...

I appreciate your thoughts so much Brian. hmmm....I may use scream in caps in the edit.

Jennifer Wagner said...

That they do Wendy...smiles back wonderful lady!

Dr. Pearl Ketover Prilik (PKP) said...

Really enjoy hope as a much more vibrant and aggressive entity that that "thing with wings." Terrific!

anthonynorth said...

As long as we have hope, we go on. powerful words.

Anonymous said...

I 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).

Magical Mystical Teacher said...

Some 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!

Whirling with James Joyce

kaykuala said...

get off the floor
it 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

Charleen said...

Your description of hopelessness-pity partying and cake eating- is vivid. This only adds to the need for hope to kick.

Mary said...

This 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!!

Anonymous said...

Love 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,

Elizabeth
http://1sojournal.wordpress.com/2008/11/07/one-of-those-days/

Judy Roney said...

May it ever be so, hope kicks. Wonderful poem of hope and the realization comes that no feeling is forever.

rch said...

Yes I have a permanent bruise on my butt from those constant kicks, good one ;-)

Laura said...

"it is the thing
with feathers

and wings that sing
your truth to you
when you’ve forgotten
how to fly "

gorgeous!

Scarlet said...

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 ~

PhotoDiction said...

Love 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
your truth to you
when you’ve forgotten
how to fly"
Beautiful piece.

ayala said...

Love this!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful write. I really love the message here.

Sherry Blue Sky said...

I LOVE this! And will take your advice about eating the cake - those are the words I've been waiting to hear:)
Yup. Hope gets us back up off the floor - what's that movie? Hope And a Little Sugar?

Ella said...

I 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~

aelfbee said...

It kicks and I like it.

mrs mediocrity said...

I love this, hope is one of my favorite things in life, and I love your take on it!

Unknown said...

Flippin' fabulous in form and intent. You rocked this one.

http://www.kimnelsonwrites.com/2013/01/16/wonder/

ScottlB said...

very powerful words,good poems.

nan said...

This 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.

Willow said...

Hope kicks it! You knocked it. Excellent!

Madeleine Begun Kane said...

Such a good message, so well delivered in your poem. Great job!

Anonymous said...

I adore how you've permitted the undignified steps of healing...how excellently human and realistic.

I could never explain this, but, I love the concept of "hope" doing something violent.

Mixi said...

Yes, hope does kick when you're about to give up. And eating chocolate is what I do when I'm a bit low ;)

Mary said...

Back 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!

Kateri said...

Love how you combined the line from Emily Dickinson with the viseral, almost violent side of hope.

Hannah said...

Absolutely!! I agree with you and you've stated it authentically...bravo!

Unknown said...

Very good poem. I like how you structured it. So positive as well.

Marian said...

not soft with feathers, sometimes, but wearing heavy boots.
i really like the voice in this piece. bravo!

Susie Clevenger said...

Ah what a way to state hope! It is when we are a mess we so need it!

Jennifer Wagner said...

'vibrant' I love that as a description of hope!

Jennifer Wagner said...

We can indeed go on...

Jennifer Wagner said...

Thanks so much p-d.

Jennifer Wagner said...

I'll hope for hope to kick in a bit quicker for you ;)

Jennifer Wagner said...

'Hope is not passive'...'truly said' right back on ya Hank! Hope is active!

Jennifer Wagner said...

Thanks for coming by and commenting Charleen.

Jennifer Wagner said...

Good advice! :-)

Jennifer Wagner said...

mmm...ice cream...thanks so much for commenting Elizabeth!

Jennifer Wagner said...

So true...this too shall pass... Thanks so much Judy! :-)

Jennifer Wagner said...

Glad you keep getting up!

Jennifer Wagner said...

You definitely do fly Grace...love your work...

Jennifer Wagner said...

Thanks so much Mario. I really appreciate your thoughts on it sir.

Jennifer Wagner said...

Thank you ma'am!

Jennifer Wagner said...

It's definitely a message I have lived. Thanks Kiana.

Jennifer Wagner said...

ha Sherry! The cake is all yours! Haven't heard of that movie...I'll have to check it out.

Jennifer Wagner said...

Stretch those wings...you soar Ella...you are amazing.

Jennifer Wagner said...

ha :-D

Jennifer Wagner said...

Hope is one of my favs too!

Jennifer Wagner said...

That is a compliment to me indeed :-)

Jennifer Wagner said...

Thanks Tatius.

Jennifer Wagner said...

Super honored by your words Nan!

Jennifer Wagner said...

Thank you very much!

Jennifer Wagner said...

Thank you for the compliment Mad--very much appreciated.

Jennifer Wagner said...

Ha! Jack, I do think I would like to read your poetic explanation though...thanks much sir.

Jennifer Wagner said...

Sometimes it's just the thing :)

Jennifer Wagner said...

You are going to inspire me, I just may have to do this!

Jennifer Wagner said...

Thank you Kateri...hope is a powerful thing...thank you!

Jennifer Wagner said...

Thank you very much Hannah! Wrote it how I know it...

Jennifer Wagner said...

Thanks for visiting BB--really appreciate your thoughts.

Jennifer Wagner said...

Marian, thank you!

Jennifer Wagner said...

Oh you have spoken the truth!

GoddessChhavi said...

Pity 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!

Janine Bollée said...

Truly a shuttlecock recipe for living.
So well written.
Wonder how mucus crept in there.
BTW, chocolate in its purest form [80% +] is a known depressant, contrary to what many believe.

my heart's love songs said...

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.

thank you for sharing the Emily Dickinson poem ~ i love it, too!

Herotomost said...

Its 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.

Anonymous said...

Excellent read. I always smile when I encounter that phrase pity party. Good work. Mine is at:

http://miskmask.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/some-light-borealis-music/

Jennifer Wagner said...

Thank you Chhavi :)

Jennifer Wagner said...

Thanks much aprille!

Dark 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.

Jennifer Wagner said...

Thanks so much Dani!

Jennifer Wagner said...

Pointy boots...ouch...if that's what it takes! Thanks for reading and commenting!

Jennifer Wagner said...

Misky, you wonderful poet, thank you...a great compliment to me.

Margaret said...

eat the cake
the 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! :)

Jennifer Wagner said...

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!