Inspired by Akala, I wrote a new rhyme / the power of the feminine

A poem about a previously lost soul, reclaiming the power of the feminine

The power is within me 

The power is mine

The power is in me 

It’s there to be mined

The power is within me 

Not the power of the mind

The Power of the Feminine 

A Force of a Kind 

Not the kind that recommends filial piety

More akin to a female deity

It’s not like a film script

Where it all falls into place

It daunts, and it challenges 

It gets in your face

It’s the Power that is needed

The Power that is felt

It’s a Power to be heeded

To heal and to feel

It’s a Force and a Power  

And it is real 

It’s angry! 

It’s forceful! 

It knows what it wants

I won’t use it to hurt you 

But to heal you  

And grow you 

To show you, to know you

It’s my power

I know it

My yin for your yang 

I won’t use mine to hurt you 

But to righten a wrong 

Not to whiten, but brighten and shine the light on

The crimes of the past that still go on

There's a file in my belly!

Not a fire in the booth

Akala said it

And I sought out the truth.

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

This is the movie with an indeterminate ending---
it makes me want to see the sequel.
as Peter and Gordon sang " Woman, if you need me then believe me I need you to be my Woman"--
the reciprocal fire ...the power to heal and the power to kill ( as emily d. expressed about poetry itself)
Nicely done, Helen.
j.

[Helen]

Thank you for your kind comments, but there's a challenge in your review! There is a sequel, but the challenge is writing about it with a fitting poem.

As I commented in a review of one of your poems, my poems tend to write themselves or come from somewhere sacred within me that I can only access when I am inspired. Your comment has inspired me, but not enough for the words to come yet! Let's see what happens ....

[Anni Pon]

I love the ending, especially this line:
"My yin for your yang
I won’t use mine to hurt you
But to righten a wrong"

Very powerful. I think in a couple of places you may not need the exclamation points, only because the words have enough emphasis on their own. If you use them sparingly they'll have more of an effect when you do put them in. I can tell that you write from the heart in the heat of the moment. Just curious, do you go back to edit them afterwards or do you prefer to leave them raw? I always like to know more about people's process writing process.

[Helen]

Thank you for this and the point about exclamation marks. I do edit, but largely my poems have 'written themselves' so editing could take away from what comes. I think my process of editing is usually also from a place of inspiration like the poetry itself. I am perhaps talking about improving rather than editing. I am not a writer, not educated in writing, but do write from the heart. I have done a lot of personal healing in the last four years and my poetry led the way - shining the light on the things I needed to deal with and expressing them better than I ever could. Thank you again for your interest and kind comments

[Anni Pon]

I think anyone who writes for passion is a writer! You don't have to have a formal writing education to be a writer. I don't either, besides one creative writing class. Although I do think that helps to sharpen skills, the main way to learn is just to practice, get feedback and read other people's writing. Writing can be a very healing and therapeutic tool, I'm glad it's helped you get through difficult times!

[Garrett Leatherman]

Really great take on feminine, not sure how to put it, energy? Power? Either way, it's a nuanced way to depict it. When you say Akala, do you mean the rapper?

[Helen]

Yes Akala the rapper. I had been to see him live the day before I wrote this. It is not rap certainly, but his rhythms and his energy were in me (so to speak!) and his performance had included a mother Goddess character which inspired me too. But, as with all my writing, the poem is very personal - reclaiming my power / righting myself as a woman at the grand old age of around 52!

[Helen]

... and the line "Akala said it" alluding to his song "Malcolm said it"

[Garrett Leatherman]

Very cool! I find plenty of inspiration in hip-hop lyrics myself, especially Kendrick Lamar. Master lyricist.

[Helen]

I will take a listen ...