A whisper of thought
by Elouise
A whisper of thought
Floats into my heart
Like a rare butterfly
Once plentiful
Now expendable
Noisy hyped techno-life
Crowds public spaces
And church pews
Threatens to drown out
Your still small voice
Waiting for a hearing
In the halls of today’s
Fiery whirlwinds
And icy avalanches of
Self-righteousness
What will You say
When we approach the bench
Seeking justice and mercy
In this land starving for
Ears to hear whispers
And cries in the night
So fearful have we become
Of our neighbors sitting
Standing sleeping living
Dying in virtual prisons
In full view
© Elouise Renich Fraser, 12 November 2019
Photo found at abstract.desktopnexus.com
Telling the Truth 
lets hope we can all say, we tried. thanks for the poem
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You’re welcome. If all of us try, it will indeed be wonderful.
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a lot of people are more aware, while young teens want a firm response, and the children usually win the argument in the end…
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🙂 Great response!
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thanks
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Powerful invitation. We are often so sure its our words that matter….Thanks, Elouise, for reminding us to listen.
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You’re welcome, Marsha. It’s so good to hear from you! I can’t help thinking about Dorothee Soelle’s book called Suffering. The best gift we can give to people who suffer is silence and patient, active listening. Not a skill we’re usually taught, in my experience.
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A powerful, important, evocative poem/message, Elouise!
We must engage more with people, do more volunteer work, etc.
We need open hearts, listening ears, strong shoulders, giving hands and arms to help and hug.
Often all people want/need is someone to listen…even cry with them.
Thank you for always challenging me, encouraging me, and helping me with your blog/words!
HUGS!!! 🙂
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I often wonder how our rhetoric would change if we were willing to sit with people and listen. Really listen. Without having to fill in the silence of gaps, or rush to conclusions that may be way off the mark, or interrupt to give our own understanding of what we’ve never experienced. And I also think (thank you for your comment!) we need encouragement from others to keep doing this, even though it seems pointless. Nothing is pointless! And now I’m going to stop before I start preaching…. 🙂
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Ha! You can preach to me any day and twice on Sunday! 😉
I read a book (The Soloist by Steve Lopez) years ago that reminded me that we often help people most by just being a consistent, compassionate, listening friend. A quote from a counselor to Steve Lopez: “The simple act of being someone’s friend can change their brain chemistry, improve their functioning in the world.”
Everyone has too many critics, bosses, and people in their lives who want to change them or seem to think they know what is best for them.
When people ask my opinion I give it honestly, but I always try to be that accepting, loving, compassionate, listening, etc., friend.
And I try to model in my own life what they might need in their lives. I think we teach more by our example and our actions than by our words. Like the old saying, “They might not remember what we say…but they will remember how we made them feel.”
And with a lot of things in peoples lives (hurtful habits, problems, etc.), only God can truly bring about the inner healing and changes needed. But we can be a helper for Him, I guess. 🙂
And often when we help others, we are surprised to find out we have helped ourselves as well. 🙂
Okay…now I’m preaching! 😮 Ha! 😀
Cue the choir to sing the closing hymn! 😉
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Go for it! 🙂 Great sermon! Truly. I love the quote from the counsellor to Steve Lopez. We never know, do we? I do know I’ve been impacted positively by a friend’s words and actions much more than she or he would have guessed.
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Oh, I was going to ask…Did you notice Sarah (Brian/LordBeariOfBow’s daughter) put up a tribute photo post on his WP blog site?
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Thanks for this heads up! No, I didn’t know. I just read/watched it and left a comment. Fabulous.
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An amazing poem. (And what a photograph). With every lovely thought and impulse, we do make a difference. Your words are so meltingly lovely. Thank you ♥
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You’re so welcome, Fran, and thank you for this kind comment. Yes! Each of us is important. The eyes, ears and heartbeat of a power greater than ourselves, if we so choose. 🙂
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