THE CORNER 4 WOMEN

Tuesday, 2 April 2024

UNSTOPPABLE by Becky Hemsley

"UNSTOPPABLE"
by Becky Hemsley

Today you are stubborn,

My patience is thin

Today you’ll persist

Until I will give in

Today you are wilful

You’re strong and you’re bold

Today you’ll refuse to do

Things you are told

Today you will follow

Wherever I go

Today you will scream

When my answer is no

Today you are fierce

And today you are wild

Today you’ll remind me

That you are a child

Today every minute

Will seem to last hours

But over the years

I will realise your power

I’ll realise your stubbornness

Means you’re determined

And I’ll admire how you have

Learnt to stand firm and

How you know when

To sit down or step up

So full of conviction,

Self-worth and self-trust

So today you’ll be stubborn

Today you’ll be fierce

Today you’ll have spirit

That must persevere

Today you’re determined

Today you’ll be loud

But tomorrow you’ll lead

From the front of the crowd

And where once you were wild

I want you to stay

I don’t want you quietened,

Silenced or tamed

‘Cause yesterday’s bold

Will soon one day I’m sure

Be a force that our world

Has not known of before

And today you will talk

Of the impossible

But tomorrow I know -

You’ll be unstoppable

******

Becky Hemsley 2022

Fabulous artwork as always by KEITH Proctor Artist

'Unstoppable' is from my second book:

https://a.co/d/iJ3bgdA

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LISTEN by Becky Hemsley

"LISTEN"
by Becky Hemsley

Listen when it’s raining

As the water hits the ground

And you’ll hear a million secrets

That are hidden in that sound

The pitter patter raindrops

Hold the whispered words inside

Of the people who have shared them

With the velvet midnight sky

The drops that pound the pavement

Spill out anger loud and harsh

They’re the words and thoughts of people

Who have cried beneath the stars

The rain that adds to oceans

And their vast capacious flow

Is the grief of people holding on

For fear of letting go

The waters flooding cities

Overwhelming homes and towns

Are the silent words of suffering

Entrusted to the clouds

And when the clouds are heavy

When our secrets fill the sky

When our thoughts are too oppressive

Then the Earth begins to cry

So listen when it’s raining

If you’re quiet then you’ll hear

All the secrets and emotions

That are muffled by Earth’s tears

******

Becky Hemsley 2020

Beautiful artwork by Anna Fila (@af.anki.malowanki on Instagram)

'Listen' is from Talking to the Wild

https://a.co/d/gyBBmgR

CATCH THOSE BIRTHDAY KISSES by Joanne Boyle

"CATCH THOSE BIRTHDAY KISSES"
by Joanne Boyle

In a world of make believe

and if we had another chance,

I'd put your stubbornness in bubbles

and send them on their dance.

You were taken far too young

and I miss you every day.

The brother with his mischief

that was always led astray.

Sometimes I think I see you

from a distance in a crowd.

Then I hear your voice

as my heart starts beating loud.

Every birthday I have to ask,

how old would he be today?

It hurts for me to remember

that you got took away.

I wish that you were here

but what would wishing do?

So ill meet you in a memory,

where there was just us two.

I'll go back to our childhood.

I laugh as I recall.

You were always fun and quirky,

I now recall it all.

I hope you know in heaven

that I'm here loving you,

and you catch those birthday kisses,

that I am blowing too.

*****

Joanne Boyle Heartfelt

art by Steffi Krenzek

MARRIED COUPLE

"MARRIED COUPLE"
this is worth to read. I just love this story.

My husband is an Engineer by profession, I love him for his steady nature, and I love the warm feeling when I lean against his broad shoulders. Three years of courtship and now, two years into marriage, I would have to admit, that I am getting tired of it. The reasons of me loving him before, has now transformed into the cause of all my restlessness.

I am a sentimental woman and extremely sensitive when it comes to a relationship and my feelings, I yearn for the romantic moments, like a little girl yearning for candy. My husband, is my complete opposite, his lack of sensitivity, and the inability of bringing romantic moments into our marriage has disheartened me about love.

One day, I finally decided to tell him my decision, that I wanted a divorce. “Why?” he asked, shocked. “I am tired, there are no reasons for everything in the world!” I answered. He kept silent the whole night, seems to be in deep thought with a lighted cigarette at all times. My feeling of disappointment only increased, here was a man who can’t even express his predicament, what else can I hope from him? And finally he asked me:” What can I do to change your mind?" Somebody said it right, it’s hard to change a person’s personality, and I guess, I have started losing faith in him. Looking deep into his eyes I slowly answered : “Here is the question, if you can answer and convince my heart, I will change my mind, Let’s say, I want a flower located on the face of a mountain cliff, and we both are sure that picking the flower will cause your death, will you do it for me?” He said :” I will give you your answer tomorrow….” My hopes just sank by listening to his response.

I woke up the next morning to find him gone, and saw a piece of paper with his scratchy handwriting, underneath a milk glass, on the dining table near the front door, that goes…. My dear, “I would not pick that flower for you, but please allow me to explain the reasons further..” This first line was already breaking my heart. I continued reading. “When you use the computer you always mess up the Software programs, and you cry in front of the screen, I have to save my fingers so that I can help to restore the programs. You always leave the house keys behind, thus I have to save my legs to rush home to open the door for you. You love traveling but always lose your way in a new city, I have to save my eyes to show you the way. You always have the cramps whenever your “good friend” approaches every month, I have to save my palms so that I can calm the cramps in your tummy.

You like to stay indoors, and I worry that you will be infected by infantile autism. I have to save my mouth to tell you jokes and stories to cure your boredom. You always stare at the computer, and that will do nothing good for your eyes, I have to save my eyes so that when we grow old, I can help to clip your nails, and help to remove those annoying white hair. So I can also hold your hand while strolling down the beach, as you enjoy the sunshine and the beautiful sand… and tell you the colour of flowers, just like the colour of the glow on your young face… Thus, my dear, unless I am sure that there is someone who loves you more than I do… I could not pick that flower yet, and die.. ”

My tears fell on the letter, and blurred the ink of his handwriting… and as I continue on reading… “Now, that you have finished reading my answer, if you are satisfied, please open the front door for I am standing outside bringing your favourite bread and fresh milk… I rush to pull open the door, and saw his anxious face, clutching tightly with his hands, the milk bottle and loaf of bread….

Now I am very sure that no one will ever love me as much as he does, and I have decided to leave the flower alone… That’s life, and love. When one is surrounded by love, the feeling of excitement fades away, and one tends to ignore the true love that lies in between the peace and dullness.

Love shows up in all forms, even very small and cheeky forms, it has never been a model, it could be the most dull and boring form.. . flowers, and romantic moments are only used and appear on the surface of the relationship. Under all this, the pillar of true love stands… and that’s our life…

Love, not words win arguments

******

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."

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

Tuesday, 2 April 2024

"MARRIED COUPLE"this is worth to read. I just love this story.

Sunday, 31 March 2024

Saturday, 30 March 2024

"MARRIED COUPLE"
this is worth to read. I just love this story.