Friday, February 28, 2014

The Space Through Which We Move

I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.
~William Penn


Fire Victim
By Ned Balbo

Once, boarding the train to New York City,
The aisle crowded and all seats filled, I glimpsed
An open space—more pushing, stuck in place—
And then saw why: a man, face peeled away,

Read the rest here

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Anastasia at Poet, Poet has the Poetry Friday round-up.

5 comments:

Linda B said...

The words didn't take me where I expected, or wanted them to go. Heartbreaking, but like a lecture for us all, do you think? I'm reading Rules by Cynthia Lord with a group, & there is a part in it that is similar. The young girl must figure out when she needs to be counted as an ally, no matter how others see it. Thanks Tabatha.

Jone said...

These words remind me of the masks that were made for I believe WWI soldiers who were disfigured in the war.
Both are powerful pieces.

Diane Mayr said...

This poem made me cry. How sad. And as Jone reminds us, the victims of war suffer great facial damage, too. Knowing what we know about war, how can we continue to wage it?

Michelle Heidenrich Barnes said...

Oh my, that poem gave me chills. As a race, we've sure got a lot to learn when it comes to empathy.

Tabatha said...

I wonder whether it is human nature to superstitiously fear other people's hardships as though they were contagious, and a lack of empathy is mostly fear?