»
Archives
»
Open Poetry #13
»
Do "You"?
| Open Poetry #13 |
|
Do "You"? |
|
|
Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada 
|
Do "You"? Do you ever wonder at the "you" that you portray … Reflect upon the attitude you draw from day to day? Do you self-evaluate your traits from time to time, To see if there is something you can change or re-define? Do you take control of life and steer your destiny, Or do you let mere happenstance dictate the path you see? Do you feel responsible for all that you have wrought, Or do you blame another for the things that you have not? Do you find you're grateful for the things that you possess, Or do you drift in bitterness for all that's been suppressed? Do you find that you enjoy this life that you have led, Or do you feel that life has drained the joy from you instead? Do you earn respect with every action that you make, Or do you just command that other's give while you can take? Do you offer to forgive when other's have misled, Or do you seek revenge in full, and punish those instead? Do you voice your mind, explore the wonders of your thoughts, Or do you just repeat the phrases someone else has taught? Do you think before you speak, give credence to your words, Or do you ramble on at length just wanting to be heard? Do you build camaraderie, gain friendships that will last, Or do you just acquaint yourself with others as they pass? Do you strive to share your heart with those you're closest to, Or do you find you're guarded in most everything you do? Do you give love graciously with all your heart and soul, Or do you merely take it as you revel in control? Do you love with sheer abandon, giving all you can, Or do you just abandon love, for all that it demands? Do you follow all your dreams, elusive so they seem, Or do you let them haunt you till you lose your self-esteem? Do you live each day as if you may not get a chance, To right the wrongs of yesterday, for all that you recant? Do you feel that you portray the best that you can be? For after all, you represent the "you" that other's see. /Kit McCallum [This message has been edited by Kit McCallum (edited 04-28-2001).] |
||
| © Copyright 2001 Kit McCallum - All Rights Reserved | |||
Sven
since 1999-11-23
Posts 14937East Lansing, MI USA |
Excellent. . . but, despite our best efforts sometimes, "they" still see the "us" that they want to see. . . But. . . Yes, I do!!!  wonderful Kit. . . ------------------------------------------------------------ To the world, you may only be one person. But to one person, you may be the world. |
||
|
Cerenity Member Elite
since 2000-02-16
Posts 2637Escondido-California |
Hi Kit, "Ah" examination mode of ones self, wow you layed it out beautifully, I have to admit on some of these I fail, and I do agree with Sven there have been times you just can't do enough but this I must put up some where so I can be reminded of those things I really need to work on, wonderful job Kit you just simply amaze me, Love, Cerenity "God doesn't have to be reminded that we exist. |
||
|
Irish Rose Member Patricius
since 2000-04-06
Posts 10263 |
This is an entire therapy session in one beautiful ballad. Yes, forgiveness and following a dream....my dream is healing and to see Europe next year.... Thank you, Kit. You made my day! [This message has been edited by Irish Rose (edited 04-28-2001).] |
||
|
Janet Marie Member Laureate
since 2000-01-22
Posts 18554 |
Do you give love graciously with all your heart and soul, Or do you merely take it as you revel in control? Do you love with sheer abandon, giving all you can, Or do you just abandon love, for all that it demands? Do you follow all your dreams, elusive so they seem, Or do you let them haunt you till you lose your self-esteem? Do you live each day as if you may not get a chance, To right the wrongs of yesterday, for all that you recant? Do you feel that you portray the best that you can be? For after all, you represent the "you" that other's see. ======================= Look at me girlie sharing her wisdom in rhyme divine... cadence kissed truth Kit-gator... I love the message in this!! and you give us MUCH to ponder.... and like Sven said...some will see what they want... but we cant please everyone... some only see thru jaded eyes... some only see thru rose colored glasses... I am learning..(the hard way..of course)  that..in the end... its WHO we see looking BACK at us in the ~mirror~ that matters... if we love ourselves sincerely...with out false ego...but with kind confidence... and if we can see our own faults and weaknesses and try to grow stronger.. then we convey that off to others.. and that is the view we present... but its an constant process that comes with time.... thank you for the thought provoking read Kit... youre wise well beyond your years me dear  meThough my soul may sit in darkness, |
||
|
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Kit, I love everything you write...even when it's do-do No, this is really right on. We cannot visualize, I don't think, how others really see us...all we can do is try our best to be our best and hope for the best. Every time I try to see myself in the mirror, my father keeps looking back at me!  Happy Day of Mourning, Kit! er, is that the right thing to say???  |
||
SEA 
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 2000-01-18
Posts 22676with you |
there are so many different aspects to each person...I think we all show different things at different times, depending on what is going on in our environments.....what level of maturity we have gained....lessons learned.....so much involved....I think being honest is the best way to be....to yourself as well as to those around you....and at times....that's very hard. Kit, this is amazing....really makes you look at yourself....fantastic! SEA |
||
|
Joyce Johnson
since 2001-03-10
Posts 9912Washington State |
I'm adult enough now to know that if I want others to like what they see, I have to like what I see in myself. Thanks for the readerboard of questilons to go by. Very nice writing. Joyce |
||
|
VAS Member Rara Avis
since 2000-11-16
Posts 7450Oregon |
Wonderful, wonderful! Each stanza should be on a poster and all posters posted around our schools. This is superbly done, great flow, esquisite rhyme, yep, I like it!!! Not that kids are the only ones that need to learn this, but ya gotta start somewhere! |
||
|
Seymour Tabin Member Empyrean
since 1999-07-07
Posts 31720Tamarac Fla |
Kit, I think I just about passed the test. Wonderful write. |
||
|
Amuse_mi Member
since 2001-04-22
Posts 110 |
I'm glad this wasn't a test! I think Sven said it best. Be the best one can be Then let go of the rest. |
||
|
Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
I know you do... I can only hope I do...too! |
||
|
Mysteria
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
Joyce and I are THERE! What you see is what you get, and I take others the same way. I used to fuss about all that at one time but no more! However, this was a fantastic poem in style and content Kit, and certainly gives people a checklist to examine some things they may need to "tune up". Good jobber! Please visit me at my new homepage: |
||
|
Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
~Sven: I agree fully Sven, sometimes others see only what they want to see, despite our best efforts. You've summed this up perfectly ... thank you for these thoughts, I'm very grateful you enjoyed! ~Cerenity: Thank you so much Cerenity. I have a few of these I need to work on too (and a few others I didn't list because I was getting too long), LOL. You are much appreciated! ~Kathleen: You're welcome Kathleen, and thank "you"! It's always good to allow ourselves some dreams, and Europe sounds like a wonderful one to reach for, excellent! I'm glad you liked this one! ~Janet Marie: What a wonderful response JanetMarie ... me thinks "you" gator-gal are the one with the wisdom here! You've given "me" a lot to ponder myself and you've gotta know I just love that! Much truth woven throughout your words here, thank you JM! ~Balladeer: LOL @ do-do, you! It is hard to visualize how others see us. This poem started because someone said I was being "stubborn" the other day, imagine that, LOL. Funny thing is ... when I took a good look at it, they were right. Always living and learning, that's the fun of it! Thanks Michael! ~SEA: I'm glad you enjoyed this piece SEA, thank you! It is important to be truthful both to ourselves and to others. Sometimes I like what I see in that mirror and other days .... I know I've got a lot of work ahead of me, LOL. ~Joyce: You've summed this up beautifully Joyce, I think we do have to like what we see ourselves first ... it's such an important part of being happy and portraying that to others, thank you for these thoughts! ~VAS: Thanks so much Virginia ... I actually wanted to format this a little differently than I did, but I wasn't feeling very creative and couldn't think how I might separate out the thoughts better ... I'm glad you enjoyed them each on their own though, I was hoping it would come across OK. ~Seymour: I think I look at life as one big test Sy, and some days I'm passing while other days I'm failing miserably, so I'm glad someone's passing the test, LOL! Thanks for enjoying, much appreciated! ~Amuse-mi: Nice to meet you Amuse-mi (love the name by the way!) I think I'll keep your last line close by "let go of the rest" ... it will come in handy on the days I've got "too" much to work on, LOL. I'm glad you enjoyed, and thank you! Much appreciation to all, /Kit |
||
|
Auguste
since 2000-02-16
Posts 3953By the sea |
So many questions and so much to refect on. No, life is good and I've no bitterness. A good one.Michael Proust- |
||
|
Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
~Sunshine: I took so long to reply to the other ones, I missed you Karilea (I'm guilty of the "rambling" one, LOL)! Thank you for stopping in and enjoying (I know you do too)! ~Mysteria: "What you see is what you get", so true, and I had visions of the comedian Flip Wilson for a second there Mysteria, LOL. I like a little "tune-up" now and again, but you're right, we can't fuss or we'd lose ourselves in the process, thanks for all these great thoughts! ~Michael: "Life is good", I love that phrase Michael, and it's wonderful to know that all is well and life can be considered pretty good some days when we reflect. I'm glad you enjoyed! Much appreciation to all, /Kit [This message has been edited by Kit McCallum (edited 04-28-2001).] |
||
|
wandering glider Senior Member
since 2001-04-04
Posts 501aloft |
oow, I feel like a pingpong ball! |
||
|
tracie66 Member Elite
since 2000-01-18
Posts 4713Australia |
Oh Kit this is an incredible read, I like to think "I do" I know I try *S* love n ~HUGS~ Tracie~ Love is the life of the soul... |
||
|
Allan Riverwood
since 2001-01-04
Posts 3502Winnipeg |
Hey there, Kitty!  Just steppin' into Open #13 for a spell, see what we come up with. I'm glad I popped in to read your poem here. It read through marvelously, I'm guilty of not reading much of your work  but from what I have seen, your meter is always fanastic! I was reading this aloud to myself, I saw many points where you could have gotten lazy when writing (and I most likely would have) but instead you found different wordings that suited the flow better. Always admirable.  Also you went to a great length with this one... you didn't cut it off when it was "enough," you kept going. That was good, the flow suited it well. It's tough to make such a large poem so readable, I admit this intimidated me when I came in but when I got started it was a breeze! And it was all absorbed on my end. This is one of those poems I'm going to go back and read over again, answering each question to try and see how well I know myself.... it's a great piece you've created here, Kit. One that allows the reader to reflect on his/herself, instead of just expressing the author's own feelings. See you in ISOAN, babe! ~Allan Build a man a fire, and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. |
||
|
ethome Member Patricius
since 2000-05-14
Posts 11858New Brunswick Canada |
I try to do those things as much as I possibly can. Such an excellent work Kit! Wondeful thoughts in a smooth and flowing format. I really love it! The role of poetry is to utter the un-utterable; to open up |
||
|
Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
~Wandering Glider: LOL ... yes, this poem does seem to have that affect, welcome to Passions Wandering Glider! ~Tracie: It's always nice to reflect once in a while ... I try too. Sometimes not enough, LOL ... I'm glad you enjoyed Tracie, thank you! ~Allan: Hey there Allan ... it's nice to see you stepping into Open! Thank you so much for the lovely comments on the flow and sentiments, I very much appreciated it. I had to smile when you mentioned this seemed long though initially ... I was pleased I'd kept it so "short" this time, LOL. Thanks again! ~Ethome: Thanks so much Eric ... I very much appreciate this response as you are such a smooth and flowing writer, and I really enjoy your work. I'm glad you enjoyed this one! Much appreciation to all, /Kit |
||
|
Bill Charles Member Patricius
since 2000-07-11
Posts 10619highways, & byways, for now |
Kit - you have written many words that say what is true, and has so much meaning. This is a very special writing, at least to me it is. Well done! BC |
||
|
Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
~Bill: I'm so pleased you found this special Bill, thank you so much for these kind words, very much appreciated! Best wishes, /Kit |
||
|
Charisma
since 2000-09-30
Posts 5906lost in blue pages |
I'm tryin', I'm tryin'...to give my best me, but sometimes....well don't know how others see me *s* Great lines you put inhere, my friend. excellent one. ((hugs)) Charisma |
||
|
OLIAS Senior Member
since 2000-06-20
Posts 1090Pearl city Iowa |
I know I DONT but strive to DO hold on... well maybe.. just a few, (lol) Great writing kit, lots to ponder over I enjoyed very much. Regards, Olias. |
||
|
Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
~Charisma: I'm tryin' too Charisma ... and I know that you're seen in the highest regard here ... thanks so much for enjoying! ~Olias: You do? Me too! LOL, thanks for the sweet rhyme Olias, and for the lovely thoughts, much appreciated! Much appreciation to you both, /Kit |
||
|
suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
At first, I was afraid I'd flunked this test... for some questions, my answer is a resounding YES, for others, a "No, thank goodness"... which is probably a nice mix, considering the questions. *S* But there are plenty I can only answer truthfully by saying "I'm trying my best!" *S* Fortunately, your comments lead me to believe that's acceptable... I'll hope so, anyway! *G* (But I'll confess that self-evaluation seems rather redundant when someone is always readily available to point out my every flaw and trait that could use improvement???? LOL) Excellent poem, Kit... written perfectly and packed with wisdom. *S* |
||
|
Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
~Suthern: I just wrote the questions Suthern ... I don't know the answers, ROFL! No, you can never flunk in my opinion ... and I'm right in there with you, passing some and trying the best I can on others too. Thanks for enjoying, its always a pleasure to read your thoughts! Much appreciation to you, /Kit |
||
|
EagleOne Member Elite
since 2000-03-07
Posts 2829Between a laugh and a tear... |
A wonderful and thought provoking piece, well done! "Friends are quiet angels who lift us to our |
||
|
anonymous albert ?
since 2001-03-23
Posts 2979 |
wonderful poem... in such beautiful wordings thru questions so many question we ask ourselves in many different ways but few do find the answers.. i loved it... excellent job... this is my first poem i've seen from you..but i'll be looking forward to more..great poetry!!.. cya kit   ...?if i die before i wake , i pray the lord my soul will take-"when thugs cry" [This message has been edited by anonymous albert ? (edited 05-02-2001).] |
||
|
Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
~EagleOne: Thanks so much for the kind words EagleOne, I'm glad you enjoyed this one, much appreciation! ~AnonymousAlbert: Well I'm glad we connected AnonymousAlbert! Thanks so much for stopping in to ponder a few questions with me, very grateful to you! Much appreciation to you both, /Kit |
||
|
Irish Rose Member Patricius
since 2000-04-06
Posts 10263 |
Had to read this again, it really spoke to me |
||
|
|
⇧ top of page ⇧ |
|
| All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format. | ||
