Shawn L. Bird

Original poetry, commentary, and fiction. All copyrights reserved.

poem- O My Cron January 5, 2022

Filed under: poem,Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:54 pm
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“We don’t know
what we’re doing next,”
they said.

“Just expect
that you’ll catch the virus,
so leave instructions at your desk.

“There may be no one
to cover your job;
sorry about that.

“Don’t let uncertainty (or fear of death)
dull your passion
for the work.

“We so appreciate
everything
you do.

“Don’t worry, just relax;
what doesn’t kill you
makes you stronger.”



.

(This is a triversen poem. Each stanza is three lines that make a complete sentence)

 

poem-what’s falling July 29, 2021

Filed under: poem,Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 1:12 pm
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In the porch light

ash is illuminated

specks of falling sky

pieces of evergreen needles

drop onto my arm

leave lines of black.

It hurts to breathe this grey air;

forests blazing hurt the heart.

Pray for rain, or better, snow.

(because, you know, snow

doesn’t bring lightning
or more fire).

 

poem-digging a trench December 9, 2020

Filed under: poem,Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 11:27 am
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This is not the year

for adventurous rambling

for party-down fun

for braving new experiences

for exploring new ideas

This is the year

for settling in

for warming up

for holding close

for safe hidey holes from which

to weather the barrage.

 

poem- destiny November 7, 2018

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 10:03 pm
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They say our traumas get encoded in our DNA,

and travel through the generations,

How much of our destiny

is granddad’s addiction, or

grandma’s depression?

Daddy’s tortured in the war,

the screams of his dreams

choke his children’s children,

how is this so?

We see reverberations

of nature, but seek solace in nurture.

Can education and positive choices

eradicate the history?

Wash clean old wounds?

Slowly nurture the nature of the DNA

to create a new playbook?

It may.

 

 

 

 

 

poem-see October 25, 2017

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 9:29 am
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I see

how every word crashes into you,

threatens to capsize you,

flaps at your mainsail,

sends your boom flying across a bow,

leaving your cowering on the deck,

begging for the storm to pass.

Aim for port, where words

are bulwarked by the breakwater,

and tides are tempered.

We’ll tie up in safety;

see?

 

 

poem- expulsed September 6, 2016

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 11:42 pm
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The school was a haven,

if not used for the purpose intended.

Safety is more important than education,

but eventually offering safety,

is less important than throwing you through paper hoops.

Don’t they see you’re on fire?

 

poem- deluded December 18, 2015

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 10:42 pm
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Hallucinations

Delusions

and we argue or agree,

Placate or debate,

against the injury in your brain

against frustration and pain

Face the inevitable

and wonder if you’re able

to see the irrevocable

ruination.

 

poem- silent November 13, 2014

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 3:42 pm
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You sit

silently

staring  at your lap.

Your face

reflects sorrows

you will not describe.

Silence

is your

only safe

place.

 

poem- parenthood September 26, 2013

On a non-stop eight hour drive,

we paused for fuel.

“What?” you asked

As you intercepted smirks

passed over your head,

when you climbed into the back seat

after the gas station bathroom break.

“Nothing,” we said, as we pulled

back onto the highway.

Even though your sister had been

traumatized when I left her

standing in the driveway as we tore off to the bus stop

that time,

while you waved at her from the back seat

and waited for me to notice,

this time

when your dad slammed the car door,

buckled up,

and drove away,

destination in his mind,

she was the one who said,

“Missing anyone?”

so when you climbed into the car,

you never even knew

you’d ever been left behind.

 

courage in adversity November 14, 2012

Filed under: Pondering — Shawn L. Bird @ 11:54 pm
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One’s valour is in proportion to one’s fear.  The man who is always entirely unafraid can never be brave.  He has nothing to be brave about.  One can only show real courage if one is afraid.  The coward, therefore, being afraid of nearly everything, is alone capable of the highest courage . 

Barbara Leonie Picard One is One, p. 134

I know a man with several brothers and sisters.  He remembers being terrified as a child.  He was traumatized by spankings.  He remembers a lot of abuse. He is certain that he was the most beaten of all.  His siblings think he was just overly melodramatic, and that he got out of real spankings because of his hysteria.

It’s interesting, because even if it’s true that he wasn’t hit as frequently or as hard as the others were, what beatings he did receive traumatized him when the allegedly more severe spankings of his siblings didn’t bother them at all.

He was more courageous because he dealt with something that was more terrifying to him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NaNoWriMo day 14: 1710 words  (Total for November: 23,291)

 

 
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