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Nov 09
poem 4 comments challenge: Onward
fire girl

We have work to do

Small victories are victories 
but we have work to do.

The hate has grown and grown,
unruly, spiteful gardens 
made to strangle.

The weeds have slipped up under
our stockings and the burrs
are clinging to our knees
like tears cling to lashes.

Small victories are victories 
but we have work to do.

Our gloves are muddy
so we will use our hands.

Callouses splitting on palms
and bruises digging on fingertips.

Unearth the sleeping dahlia bulbs
and rescue them from the anger-caked plots.

Protect the quiet roots.

We may have won a battle
but there is work to do.

Small progress is progress
but it is not enough.

What is addicted to its own history
cannot move past its mistakes. 

We have work to do.
We have to start now. 
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Posted: 11.09.20
About the Author: fire girl
" to choose to write is to reject silence" - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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Discussion

Comments

  1. Treblemaker
    Nov 29, 2020

    'The weeds have slipped up under/ our stockings and the burrs /are clinging to our knees/ like tears cling to lashes.' love that line, I hate burrs and I felt them in my socks. powerful writing!

    I write because the music of language spoke to me in books and I wanted to make a beautiful noise to answer back ~ Lee Williams.

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  1. fire girl
    Nov 30, 2020

    Thanks for reading and commenting! :)

    " to choose to write is to reject silence" - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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  1. ckodama24
    Nov 30, 2020

    I love your emphasis on how much work there still is to do, that line is really powerful, great writing!

    - Alex Lee
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  1. fire girl
    Dec 01, 2020

    Thank you!

    " to choose to write is to reject silence" - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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