Reality Check

While my postings to date have been mostly whimsical and lighthearted or nostalgic, I do on occasion write serious poems about what concerns me.  I call this a reality check.

While I don't believe the world is any more evil than it ever was, I think with the advancement of technology the perception is that it is. We now have access to the news as it happens.  Instead of the nightly news of old, we have 24-hour news channels that repetitively tell the tragedies.  Instead of waiting to read in the newspaper the next day, we have social media and the internet reporting to us. It can be overwhelming.  I think that is what prompted me to write this poem:

  I cry

I cry inside when the world news is tragic,

I cry inside for wars, poverty and black magic,

I cry inside for hatred and scorn,

I cry inside as babies have no chance to be born,

I cry inside for injustice and unfairness,

I cry inside for apathy and unawareness,

I cry for myself when others mistreat me,

I cry for myself when I let them defeat me,

I cry for myself when the words to me are harsh and unjustified,

I cry for myself when I am confused and terrified,

I cry for mercy, I cry for harmony,

I cry because I am lonely,

I cry but no tears will flow,

I cry but only my heart will know,

The sadness that cries out inside,

While holding back from others, I hide.

I hide from them the sadness I feel,

I won’t let them know it is real.

I cry.

Tammy Harvey 

written:  7/21/14