THE CORNER 4 WOMEN

Tuesday 2 April 2024

I DIED TODAY

"I DIED TODAY"
(author unknown)

Yes, I died today.

I was found by a kind, sweet woman who does wildlife rescue.

I was so sick, I could barely open my eyes.

She took me inside, cradling me in her warm arms, and made me warm and comfortable.

I opened my eyes and looked at her and thanked her for making my last few minutes as comfortable as possible.

But I was too sick to keep fighting anymore.

I had eaten a mouse that was poisoned, and it made me very sick.

I closed my yellow eyes for the last time and went somewhere else.

Please, all I ask is never use poison to kill the mice.

Poison kills owls, like me.

All I wanted was a mouse for dinner.

Stop the use of poison for rats or mice.

Live traps are the best to use. Catch and release.

It only takes one share to spread the word."

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AWARENESS IS GOOD by Becky Hemsley

"AWARENESS IS GOOD"
by Becky Hemsley

Awareness is good

But acceptance is great

It breaks down a barrier

Opens a gate

It hands you a key

Which helps unlock the door

To a world that you struggle

To read the map for

Awareness is good

But acceptance is grand

It doesn’t just wave

But it offers a hand

It makes space at the table

And holds out a chair

It says “take a seat”

Not “I know you are there”

Awareness is good

But acceptance is key

It’s a place in the circle

Not the periphery

It’s tolerant, patient,

It listens and learns

It sees all your compromise

Then takes its turn

Awareness is good

But acceptance is wise

It’s reading the map

Through a new set of eyes

And it doesn’t just say

“There’s a knock on the door”

It says “come in -

You’re not outside any more”

*****

For World Autism Awareness Day and the start of World Autism Acceptance Week

Becky Hemsley https://www.facebook.com/talkingtothewild

Artwork by Hisanori Yoshida

Sunday 31 March 2024

THIS PICTURE TELLS A STORY

"THIS PICTURE TELLS A STORY" (author unknown)

This picture tells a story

of days so long ago

I was just a youth then

and I still had time to grow

This picture tells a story

See that brick built toilet block

Bloody cold in winter time

with ice on seat to shock

This picture tells a story

look up and see chimney stack

not one house has an aerial

It’s 1960-looking back

This picture tells a story

the steps-they are so clean

all of them donkey stoned

the best I've ever seen

This picture tells a story

little girl playing out in street

chaperones not required then

kids today can’t have this treat

This picture tells a story

See cobbles-look hard and stare

won’t see many of those today

they are so very rare

This picture tells a story

See no litter-strewn around

before fast food takeaways

no Cans thrown on the ground

This picture tells a story

my street is no longer there

flattened for road improvements

Planners simply didn’t care

This picture told you a story

of a time good men took a wife

an era of just make and mend

Then technology governed our life

Saturday 30 March 2024

THE LAW OF SUBSTITUTION by Tahlia Hunter

"THE LAW OF SUBSTITUTION"
by Tahlia Hunter

“The law of substitution,

states “this or better”:

What is in front of you

or what is to come

is always far greater

than what is gone.

What is meant to remain in your life

will remain,

and if it leaves,

it will be replaced with something equally good or better

and so if someone chooses to leave,

an even greater person is meant to enter your life.

And so whatever life takes away,

you may let go,

trusting that something better will takes its place

and choose only to put your energy towards

what you have a future with,

and fall in love with who you are in the present

and who you are becoming,

for as long as you are focused on the past,

you cannot glimpse the future.

And you may trust

that you do not need to know

exactly how things will unfold for you,

but as long as you are walking towards your dreams each day,

you are becoming closer to them.

And if you knew what was about to enter your life

you would have the greatest smile on your face,

and so you may prepare in advance.”

*****

Words by Tahlia Hunter

https://www.facebook.com/TahliaHunterBlog

Artwork by Lucy Campbell

SHE'D JUST BEEN DRESSED AS GRIEF by Becky Hemsley

"SHE'D JUST BEEN DRESSED AS GRIEF"
by Becky Hemsley

I held a party the other week and grief came.

She wasn’t invited but she came anyway - barged her way in through the door and settled down like she was here to stay.

And then she introduced me to the friends she’d brought with her - Anger. Fear. Frustration. Guilt. Hopelessness.

And they sang in the loudest voices, took up space in every corner of the room and spoke over anyone else that tried to talk.

They made it messy and loud and uncomfortable.

But finally, they left.

And long afterwards, when I was all alone,

I realised there was still someone here.

Quietly clearing up after the rest.

I asked who she was and she told me, “Love.”

And I assumed that’s why she looked familiar - because I had met her before.

“Or perhaps,” she said, “it’s because I’ve been here the whole time.”

And I was confused then because I hadn’t seen her all evening.

But when I looked more closely,

when I looked into her eyes,

I realised quietly that she had been here.

All the time.

She’d just been dressed as grief.

*****

Becky Hemsley 2023

Image created with Canva

I share this poem a lot because I think it can be quite comforting to think of grief as simply love in disguise

‘Afterparty’ is from the book When I Am Gone

https://a.co/d/35WJcRh

THE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE by Tahlia Hunter

"THE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE"
by Tahlia Hunter

“People in your life

are like passengers on a train

who come and go

at different stations.

Some are strangers,

others acquaintances,

and others, relatives, friends or lovers

who you may wish to remain with you always on your journey.

And when they have reached their stop

and it comes time for them to leave,

you may feel that they are leaving too early

and take it personally when they must go,

feeling that maybe if they could see how perfect you were together

or you had more time,

you could prove to them

that they should stay

and choose to be with you,

not realising that it is inevitable that they leave,

for your paths were only ever meant to intersect

for that moment in time

however brief it was

as they have their own path they must follow.

And they are not on the wrong path;

you are simply on different paths.

And their path in life

is not for you to know;

it is only for you to love them

as best as you can,

while supporting them on their journey

and trusting that sometimes the universe takes certain people away from you

on the path to bringing you where you’re meant to be.

And though it is beautiful when they stay,

it is also beautiful when they leave,

because sometimes you will meet someone so special to you

that after meeting them,

you are no longer the same

as you have been transformed for the better

and they have helped you to see life through new eyes.

And though you were not meant to travel the entire journey together,

you share the same ultimate destination

and will one day be reunited.

And in the meantime,

you may trust that for the people

you are yet to meet on your journey,

you will meet them

when you are not looking for love.

And though there are people

who when you look into their eyes,

it feels like you have known them for a thousand years,

this means that you must also have known thousands of others,

and that you are still to meet thousands more.”

*****

Words by Tahlia Hunter

https://www.facebook.com/TahliaHunterBlog

Artwork by Katarína Vavrová Artist

All react

THE THREE REMEMBRANCES by Tahlia Hunter

"THE THREE REMEMBRANCES"

by Tahlia Hunter

"The first time you remember them,

you feel nothing but emptiness,

for you are mourning the loss of one

whose absence can never be replaced.

The second time you remember them,

you feel nostalgic,

recalling treasured memories

of precious moments shared,

with the person you so loved

who is no longer physically there.

But the third time you remember them,

you smile,

as you only feel love.

For you know in your heart that only love is real:

All else is a temporary experience.

And they have never truly left you,

for they remain with you always in spirit.

And you know that you were so lucky and blessed to have shared those precious moments with them while they lasted. And they will feel lucky watching over you as you go on to experience many more.

And they would not wish to see you remain sad,

but for you to experience every single joy and miracle that life has to offer

and celebrating your life

is the best way to celebrate them.

And reaching this moment

may take a week, a month, a year, or a lifetime,

but with every breath you take and smile you muster,

you are one step closer,

and one step closer to being reunited with them."

*****

Words by Tahlia Hunter

https://www.facebook.com/TahliaHunterBlog

Artwork by Christian Schloe Digital Artwork