I am learning to understand poetry!
I am a literal person; I struggle with poetry, the meaning of it, and the words that don't always hang together, the imagery that I don't always follow. Last Friday, Jim and I went to Fresno for a Poetry Slam, and I cried, I laughed, I was puzzled, and I walked away with a new appreciation of art. Six people competed against each other (I am glad Jim was asked to score, not me). Every one of the poems dealt with personal life, personal stories, and personal struggles. One person had a dramatic brain injury and shared how people see her now. One person shared their obesity story, what started it, and how they dealt with it. One person was sharing about her verbal sexual assault as she was out on a run. One person talked about his struggle on the treatment of black people, and the last person was obese and
shared how she loved her body. Each poem is different, each poem is profoundly moving, and each poem reveals a part of the story of their lives.
As we finished the night and I needed some help to understand some of the meanings, I realized that
our community centers are places where people get to share their stories without judgment, where people can reveal their deep secrets without being thrown out, where every person is treated a person with dignity and a story. We don't always understand their journey, we don't always know the whole story, we don't always see the deep impact of their lives, but we listen, honor, and celebrate their
journey.
In a world where we look for perfection, where the makeup is not only on our faces but also in our hearts, where we pretend to fit in well, and look like we are supposed to look, I am looking for the deeper impact of their stories.
How does your story shape your life, your decisions, your struggles? How does your story impact our world today? How can you use the struggles of your childhood to help someone else? How can the abuse you experienced protect someone else? How can the broken relationship make you stronger?
Your story is the answer to someone else's struggles. Your story can lead a person to a deeper understanding of themselves. Your story can make a difference! Be brave! Share it!