Shield

Emma Joy's Christmas project prompted me to write this.

The dusty, old lies have
Had their time, and
Their well-worn veils
Hide their ugly faces
No more - but instead of
New, greater lies, and

New, shiny bars for
Our old, rusty cage
We need nobler goals
In this coming new age
Oh, let us find something
Worthy to live or to die for!

Love carried the flag for ages
But, the bright lights in Her
Innocent eyes have drowned
In a sea of shameful sights
Her legs are weary
Her robes are tattered, and

With disbelieving eyes
She looks for hope,
For courage among the
Scattered, wounded, 
Beaten ones: us, Her daughters
And Her very own sons

We, too, have lost the will
To fight, and the drums that
Pounded in our bosom
Quickening the blood
Making us move mountains
Have grown eerily quiet

Oh, I do not know
What to hope for
But, as long as I see
Her majestic figure
Out in the field, I am hers
And she is my shield

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Love is dying and she is hiding her face so as not to see the devastation.
I think of love as the subject here but also the statue of liberty and how disappointed she must
be in what she sees.
No wonder she turns her head.
and that torch is starting to go out.
Can we relight it?
Love could do that
trust could do that
honesty could do that
peace could do that.
This piece really moves me,
j.

[Laz K.]

Thank you, j.
Your thoughts are very much appreciated.

[Coyote Poetry]

Wonderful use of words and thoughts.
"Oh, I do not know
What to hope for
But, as long as I see
Her majestic figure
Out in the field, I am hers
And she is my shield"
I could write a epic poem from the amazing lines above. This is poetry. Thank you for sharing the outstanding poetry.
Coyote

[barleygirl]

I love you for writing this. I find it hard to plow thru a bunch of platitudes when our current times require something with a helluva lot more punch. It's enuf to make mere poets feel futile, how our current times defy our feeble pretty words. This is so well-written, at least it makes more sense than much of the "good cheer" out there. We do need a steady stream of good cheer messages, but right now, I'm as jaded as jaded gets (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Lorry]

Let's find something worthy to live or die for reminded me of Morgan Freeman's character Red in Shawshank redemption and it seems even more apt now, with the entire planets confusion and doubts as to when this will, if ever end.
Like most, I don't know what to hope for either, but I'm sure it will include what has decimated life to be in the past tense, so we can finally find out what remains of what we always took for granted, freedom.

[Laz K.]

Thank you, Lorry, for your thoughts.
Shawshank. ..great story.