I Challenge You, World!

We live in potential...... I believe that this world can be an incredible place if we didn't put our own personal needs, and greed in front of peace.

“Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery!

None but ourselves can free our minds……”

     - Bob Marley, “Redemption Song”

 

 

 I CHALLENGE YOU,

          WORLD!

 

 

By Bridgey “SwamiPeaceBringer” McLovin

 

 

 

I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD...

           TO BE GREAT!

AND TO IMMEDIATELY REMOVE

  TOMORROW

FROM YOUR VOCABULARY!

I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD…

TO STOP DREAMING and BE AWAKE

BECAUSE TODAY IS NOW!

AND NOW CALLS FOR ME & U

TO SEE THE WAY THAT PAST GENERATIONS

                WEREN’T ABLE TO!

TO VIEW EACH OTHER

WITH ACHROMATIC IRISES

   THE WAY THAT CHILDREN DO!

TO SEE SKIN COLOR AS PRECISELY THAT

BUT EVEN UNDER THOSE COLORS,

TO SEE YOUR NEIGHBORS

      OF OUR SHARED LAND

AS YOUR SISTERS

AND YOUR BROTHERS!

TO LIVE, TO LAUGH, TO DANCE, TO LOVE,

TO FIGHT, TO GROW, TO BREAK BREAD,

& TO BUILD A LUMINESCENT

PATH OF INTEGRATION

WITH AND WITHIN ONE ANOTHER!

 

SO I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD...

TO VIEW YOUR INHABITANTS

WITH RESPECTFUL INTEREST & INTRIGUE,

WITH UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY BLEED

THE SAME COLOR HUE AS YOU DO!

TO NOT FORGET PAST ATROCITIES

BUT TO TREAT SAID ATROCITIES AS SUCH

TO ALLOW THE PAST TO METAPHORICALLY

AND PERHAPS LITERALLY BRIDGE US

    OVER A TORMENTED SEA OF

ANGER, HATE, CONFUSION, MALICE, FEAR, IGNORANCE

         & UNSPEAKABLE PREJUDICE!

 

I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD…

NOT TO ALLOW YOUR GOD TO BE

COLORFUL PIECES OF PAPER YOU RECEIVE,

AS YOU PRAY ON BENDED KNEES AT

THE CHURCH OF

       ATM MACHINES!

I CHALLENGE YOU TO STOP WORSHIPING YOUR ACCOUNT BALANCE AND COUNTERBALANCE YOUR OWN NEEDS WITH THOSE OF THE NEEDY!

FEED THEM NOT ONLY BREAD,

BUT WITH GENUINE EMPATHY!

 

I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD…

TO LOVE WITH A STEADY OPTIMISM THAT BRAVELY & CONTINUOUSLY

PULSATES EVEN AFTER REJECTION

& DISAPPOINTMENT!

TO LOVE WITH THE STRENGTH

THAT SOMETHING LIKE

    FORGIVENESS POSSESSES!!

I CHALLENGE YOU,

TO LOVE DEEPER THAN THOSE WITH

YOUR LAST NAME!

TO LOVE DEEPER THAN THE SHADE OF THE SKIN THAT LOOKS LIKE YOURS!

DEEPER THAN THE PATRIOTISM

   DRENCHED WITHIN YOUR NATION’S FLAG!

DEEPER THAN THE LOVED ONES RESIDING

             BEHIND YOUR OWN FRONT DOOR!

 

I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD…

TO PUT YOUR FAITH BEHIND

& IN FRONT OF OUR FUTURE!

TO EDUCATE YOUNG MINDS AND INFLUENCE THEM TO BE OPEN, AND ORIGINAL,

    AND INDIVIDUALLY UNIQUE!

TO ENCOURAGE RATHER THAN DISCOURAGE

NOURISH AND THEN

WATCH THEM FLOURISH

OUT OF THE NO GOOD, DARK WOODS AND DANGEROUS NEIGHBORHOODS THAT YOU’VE KNOWN US TO RESIDE & PERISH INSIDE OF

UNDERSTOOD!?!?!

AS THE SAYING GOES…

You can take the girl out of the trailer park…

BUT I CHALLENGE THAT YOU CAN ALSO TAKE THE TRAILER PARK

OUT OF THE GIRL!!

YOUR STREET ADDRESS

DOES NOT

HAVE TO DEFINE YOU!

I challenge you to take pride in, yet not be defined, REPRESENTED & HELD CAPTIVE INSIDE OF what you had no choice or any VOICE in deciding in!

Such as…

ENVIRONMENTAL UPBRINGING!

OR RACE!

   OR GENDER!

   OR CLASS!

      OR SEXUALITY!

    OR NATIONALITY!

     OR PHYSICALITY!!   

etcetera & all limitations in or between!

 

SO, I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD

TO REMEMBER THAT YOUR GOVERNMENT

SHOULD WORK FOR YOU!

YOU ARE YOUR NATION'S LEADERS AND WORKERS AND SCHOOL TEACHERS, AND FREE THINKERS AND BRINGERS

OF TRUE DEMOCRACY!

YOU ARE THE WARRIORS

OF PEACE & PROSPERITY  

THE DESTROYERS OF

PROMISES &  HYPOCRISIES!

 

I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD...

TO ENTERTAIN DIPLOMACY

BEFORE YOU GO DESTROYING THINGS!

I CHALLENGE YOU NOT TO

FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE

BUT INSTEAD,

FIGHT FIRE

WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS!!

TO KNOW YOUR ENEMY,

   BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY…

TO TRY GETTING

TO KNOW YOUR ENEMY!!!!

YOU MAY FIND THAT SAID ENEMY

THROUGH LACK OF DIPLOMACY

         MAY HAVE NEVER CAME TO BE!

 

I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD!!!

TO MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE AS TANGIBLE

AS A TUESDAY

TO SHOW CHILDREN TODAY

THAT LIVING IN PEACE ISN’T TOO LATE

TO ADOPT LOVE, AND TO TEACH THAT IT’S NOT LOVE WHEN WE’RE CONSTANTLY FIGHTING EACH OTHER

OVER WHO’S GOD IS UP ABOVE,

NOT TO CRUSADE, BUT INSTEAD RESPECT THEIR RELIGION AND THEIR WAYS, MAKE LOVE & NOT WAR, GREET A STRANGER, OPEN DOORS, HUG ONE ANOTHER, HELP EACH OTHER, DIFFERENT COLORED SISTERS & BROTHERS,

RESPECT OUR ELDERS, LISTEN TO KIDS

& LOVE WILLINGLY WITHOUT AN AGE,

TRY TO LOVE WITHOUT SIGHT,

& TRY TO THINK OUTSIDE THE CAGE

THAT OUR MINDS OCCUPY TODAY,

AND WE CAN MAKE IT TO THIS PLACE!

I BELIEVE IT!

YOU KNOW WHY?

BECAUSE TODAY…

     CAN ALWAYS BE

THE GREATEST DAY

       OF YOUR LIFE!

TODAY CAN DO SOMETHING

TOMORROW CAN NEVER, EVER DO!

TODAY CAN BE NOW!

NOT NOW! BUT RIGHT NOW!

TODAY CAN CHANGE TOMORROW,

JUST BECAUSE IT'S TO... DAY!!!

 

SO, I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD

TO BE GREAT

AND TO IMMEDIATELY REMOVE TOMORROW

FROM YOUR VOCABULARY

TO STOP DREAMING and BE AWAKE

BECAUSE TODAY IS NOW!

Author's Note

I love life. And when I see people genuinely looking to help one another, when I see acts of kindness and respect and love, it almost angers me to mildly taste the possibilities of what this world can be! It's still a work in progress. Maybe you'll hear me read the finished version at Obama's 2nd term Anauguration in three years! LOL

Another note; I had to change "greenback paper" to "colorful pieces of paper" giving that this address is on a international level. Stupid of me to forget that monies across the world are of various hues.

Reviews

[Lalli]

Bridgey, can you hear that?...... can you hear it?....

I can, its the sound of snapping fingers, the sound of inspired applause. This piece will get your audience to yell out that.. "preach on, mmmmhmmmm(in aggreeance), an amen, and many other interactive expression amidst the performance.

I will choose the preach on, and amen! i couldn't agree with you more. This is written brillitantly with so many clever phrases and unique twists to cliche's or familiar expressions... you hit it dead on. i love the message, I CHALLENGE YOU!

*snap snap

much love n' respect

-Lalli

[~Mariposa Una Lila~]

you are so adorably cute Bridgey babe! x0x0x I like this poem so much because, it shows us there is only TODAY...so lets get that love thing ....spread it around get it going! you rock you lil super star! x0x00x0x0x

[John McGrael]

wow..... your writings never cease to amaze me... and i consider myself a tough critic (i may give plenty of people positive reviews and such, high rating reviews; but few people on here impress me like you do)

i wish i could write like you do... thats something people tell me all the time
now im passing it on to you

you should be a speech writer..., cause this would make an amazing speech

[Rick Puetter]

Dear Bridgey,

I have read many of your reviews of other writers, but I have only visited your WC public pages today. This is the first of your pieces that I have looked at. I am quite impressed. I am not so much impressed with the physical appearence of your poem. In fact, I think that it somewhat detracts (not alway so, but in general). However, the poetry itself, the message, the way it is delivered (verbally, not visually), is superb. This is very well done. The language flows effortlessly and it is tremendously appealing. The "I challenge you, world" refrain becomes deafening in the end, and powerfully confronts the reader so that there is no recourse but to give up falsehoods, to reexamine every point of view afresh, and to expand one's vision to encompass the real world and the reality of a brotherhood that extends beyond racial boundaries. This is a well written piece. HIgh marks.

Very best regards,

Rick

[Thunderlyrics]

I actually love this Bridgey. Could feel your confidence in each pen stroke!!!

Very well done!!

[Bennett Logan]

This is really good stuff, Bridgey, and I completely agree with what you're saying. I've been thinking along similar lines for quite some time; if the past and the future don't physically exist, the only thing we're truly left with is the present moment. Why spend all your time worrying about something that doesn't exist? I think your above poem is a call to arms for people to start looking a little more closely at their time, their lives, and their actions. Things are a lot different once you start looking at your time from moment to moment instead of day to day, week to week, month to month, year to year, or even decade to decade. If you do what's right according to each moment, the future takes care of itself and the past is gone!

Otherwise, sir, this poem is yet another eccentric tumble through your always colorful imagination, consciousness, word choice, and opinions. I can tell that you're a thinker and I always enjoy what you have to say, as it's obviously been well thought out (multiple times, most likely). Thanks as always and send more of your stuff my way!

[Fear Corrupts!]

Mhm. Mhm.
(Sorry for the delayed review by the way.)
Anyway.
"I challenge you to write a better poem than this".
Man, you're an inspirational writer, for damn sure (miss captian obvious speaking).
You see, not only does/can your writing appeal to EVERYONE, no matter one's ethnicity, but your poetry doesn't drone on and on about problems of your own...
You speak for others, you're a selfless writer.
Your finest quality.
I was thinking part way through this read, that maybe you should be like a human' rights activist or something? Or some type of social worker?
But than again, I remind myself, your words may have more power than your actions.
It's hard for me to even fathom you as a person; perfect and all. J.k ( too much :p)

Anyway,
good write....
You should be hearing from me again soon.

Your's always,
{ Fear Corrupts! }

[Shards]

this piece is a powerful catalyst
that can awaken even the most dormant of seeds in the hearts of humanity
and needs to be broadcast on every medium available!

- I don't doubt that you'll have a hand in saving this world from itself -
on whatever scale -

these powerful words will live forever Bridge
thanks for inviting me to read them
I am thus challenged and willing to put my sincere effort in

[Sel Whiteley]

Firstly, I love that beginning because I love that song. Marley was a master, so brilliant. Then 'I challenge you world' could anyone have a more grabbing title. 'Remove tomorrow from your vocabulary', that is such a strong, affirmative line and such a passion for social justice, I love it. I am crying for a dream from this line onward, 'to build a luminescent/path of integration'. Right now, in the town where I am, there are actually walls dividing the people. Your vocabulary is so beautiful and inspiring. This is one of my favourite poems that I've ever read not just here but anywhere, it reminds me of Ginsberg's Howl, possibly my favourite poem. This is such beautiful poetry but somehow it also reminds me of some of Obama's speeches, and sections of the audacity of hope. I am crying for a dream from this line onward, 'to build a luminescent/path of integration'. Right now, in the town where I am, there are actually walls dividing the people. Your vocabulary is so beautiful and inspiring.
UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY BLEED
THE SAME COLOR RED AS YOU DO!
I CHALLENGE YOU, WORLD��
NOT TO ALLOW YOUR GOD TO BE
GREENBACK PAPER YOU RECEIVE,
AS YOU PRAY ON BENDED KNEES AT
THE CHURCH OF ATM MACHINES!!
I CHALLENGE YOU TO STOP WORSHIPPING YOUR ACCOUNT BALANCE AND COUNTERBALANCE YOUR OWN NEEDS WITH THOSE OF THE NEEDY!
FEED THEM NOT ONLY WITH BREAD,
BUT ALSO WITH GENUINE, EMPATHY!!

[Gandré]

This was a sweet dreaming how it coud be.
you are one of those irreparable positive flocks of dreams ..

[Sheila Kline]

Oh Bridgey....I can feel, it, I can hear it, I can taste it.....your write is brilliant with such "right-on" emotions that cannot help but touch and inspire every reader!!
Well done...........keep on "keeping on" my friend!!
Sheila