As I promised, here is the new series of “What can I…”, for the next ten weeks I would like to talk to you about reading. This is not limited to books, it can include poems or even blog articles too. I must admit, almost all of the books I own are fiction; if you are a non-fiction author then I would love to review your book! Today we shall look at poetry, I have spoken briefly about it before in the article “What can You Learn From Poetry?” so you know that I am a strong believer in the depths of meaning in poetry.

Now, before I share some motivational and inspiration poems with you, I have not forgotten my promise to Roland Millward that I will share one of my own poems with you all. I will not explain this one so please comment saying what you think it is about, why I wrote it and your opinions on it. Remember, I am not a poet… I just like to write.

Final Days

By Shane Hudson

It hurts not hearing the leaves rustling.
It hurts seeing the trunk so grey and old.
Just five years have passed since we first met,
Now look at how you stand so brave and bold against the blue wispy sky,
Ready to start that fresh clean slate.
I shall never forget the days I spent
Watching
Mother Nature’s finest blessing.

Life

By Kirsten Burns

Life is pain
Life is sorrow
Life is nightmares

Life is love
Life is laughter
Life is sweet dreams

Life is change
Life is loss
Life loosing everything

Life is stability
Life is win
Life is gaining everyone

Life is tears
Life is hurt
Life is grief

Life is smiles
Life is comfort
Life is happiness

Life is loosing
Loved ones

Life is gaining
Yourself

I think this is a very powerful poem. It is a very motivational poem for whenever we are stuck in a “rut of life”, reading this poem certainly motivates me to do something… life is full of ups and downs so why worry about them?

Freedom?

By Clover West

They say I have freedom
I can do what I want
They say I have freedom
To speak how I feel

But how is it freedom
To be judged for my deeds
And persecuted for speaking
Revealing my thoughts

How is it freedom
To fear being called strange
To think different thoughts
To the people you call friends

I live in my mind
I hide in my brain
I don’t dare to speak out again
And I’m free to be lonely
And misunderstood
I’m free to be hated and shunned

This is the freedom
This is not freedom
It cannot be freedom
To hide from the world

The meaning that I get from this poem is probably not what the poet was writing about, but that does not mean it is any less valid. This poem makes me think of words such as “prejudice” and “peer pressure”, the way people treat others. Why should we listen to what others think of us? I have always listened to what other people say about me, but I think of it as creative critism rather than an insult, if anyone has anything to say about me then they should say it to my face. I really believe that this poem shows that people are still being insulted and bullied, daily. This should not be allowed to happen, but they should also do what they believe is right and not worry what other people think.

Please share your opinions with us, also share your favourite poems and any you have written yourself.

Thank you for reading,

Shane