P O E T R Y   can reveal something . . . 

                                    which we may have been unable to articulate. maybe summing up

                                    something not so easily communicated to another person,

                                    or even within ourselves.

 

                                    Thankfully, we do not need to know what it all means in order to

                                    receive something profound from reading or writing poetry.

 

                                    It can work like a chemical reaction within us and act as a catalyst

                                    for clearly finding our own voice and bringing something to life.

                                    Many poets articulate something in their work which can help us to

                                    better understand our internal and external worlds and also help us

                                    to Listen to each other.

                                    Robert Burns said much about  ~ how we can relate to each other

                                    with more kindness, in many of his well known songs and poems.

                                    Here, in Address to the Unco Guid,  he describes how our attention

                                    to each other, matters a great deal. 

 

 

                                                ' Then gently scan your brother man,

                                                                       gentler still sister woman. '

 

                              In 'As you like it' Shakespeare describes some things as elusive as

                              Love, friendship and being restored to good spirits by time spent

                              in the Forest of Arden and the clear space it brings.

                              One of his characters tries to threaten his way to a good meal

                              and is met with this:

                            

                             ' Your gentleness shall force,

                                               more than your force move us to gentleness '

 

                              This attitude is something all too easy for me to forget ~ when I lose

                                      my thread of exploration inside and slip back, to trying to fix myself,

                                      to force a change in myself or even to save myself . . . . . . 

                                      when these days, I am not convinced any of these actually work.

 

                                      Anything that reminds me it is also possible . . .

                                      just to listen to myself with more kindness ,  is most welcome.

 

                                                    Poetry is very personal and we all like what we like. 

                                       Thankfully, we do not all need to like what everyone else does.