Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Show Me What Kindness Looks Like (Poem)

Show Me What Kindness Looks Like

Show me what kindness looks like.

So in the darkness, he touched her arm—
        once milk-white silk-clad
        trafficked now, elbow to wrist,
        in one line of hope after another.


Touch my wounds with kindness.

So in the darkness, he touched his muscle of remembrance—
        fingering gently
        what he could neither see nor make believe.


Kindness never gets you an audience.

And so he said—
        faith is always tested
        stitches always itch.


Pray kindness takes me.

So in the darkness, he touched—
        lips to air, feeling the weight
        of edging tears
        rending frail-woven endings.


Speak kindly of me when I'm gone.

And so he turned once more to after—
        the grip seeded of limits
        letting go but one quick second
        before turning red again with his single heart's pulse.

Copyright © 2010 Maureen E. Doallas. All Rights Reserved.
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I wrote this poem for today's Blog Carnival and for Carry On Tuesday #41.

The Blog Carnival, a biweekly online event open to anyone, is sponsored by Bridget Chumbley at One Word at a Time and Peter Pollock at Rediscovering the Church. Today's prompt is "kindness". Go here for a list of links to all of the contributions.

Carry on Tuesday provides each week as a writing prompt a quote that is to be used wholly or partly in original prose or poetry. The prompt for February 23 is the opening line from Michael Crichton's 2004 novel State of Fear: "In the darkness, he touched her arm and said. . . ." Go here for a list of links to all of the participants' sites.

17 comments:

Kelly Sauer said...

This is really beautiful. You leave me wanting more, wanting to re-read, ponder.

Glynn said...

Oh, Maureen. All I can say at this moment is oh. I'm moved to tears.

Louise Gallagher said...

Okay, so you made me cry. This is beautiful. A reflection of your kind heart and spirit.

Hugs

Louise

katdish said...

"Pray kindness takes me" - Gulp! That was beautiful, Maureen.

S. Etole said...

some very powerful truths here ...

Joyce Wycoff said...

Kindness is Maureen sharing her deep insight with a waiting world unseen but completely known.

Thank you!

Anonymous said...

the labor pains of kindness born

Anonymous said...

What katdish said... those were four very powerful words, Maureen.

sarah said...

This is my favourite of all the poems I have read by you.

Helen said...

Very moving.

Kathleen Overby said...

I'm barely treading water here. The current is strong and deep where you lead us.

Anonymous said...

This pulls my heart.

keiths ramblings said...

This is such a tender and moving piece. A beautiful piece of composition

Kevin said...

That was a very beautiful poem Maureen!

Dianna Woolley said...

This poem is very moving - thank you.

Ned said...

I read this one every day.

JoAnne Bennett said...

Beautifully-written poem Maureen. I especially loved your words, "Kindness Never gets you an audience."