Apothegm

A poem about the struggle for acceptance by society and by oneself. Inspired by the Berlin Wall Reconciliation Statue.

Best to be forewarned of trouble.
Mighty men, like lava, bubble.

Far cry, star cry,
once ignored.

Cry for battle,

now implored.

Those who think
and
those who struggle
find themselves
within a bubble
holding on to one another,
to one, a man,
the other, a brother.

Author's Note

At the end of the day, we're all struggling for acceptance.

Reviews

[Josie E. Cook M. A.]

I often think of the world in bubbles and how one bubble can be invaded by another,
we are individual, yet we also have interactions
and these aren't always what we want or need because our society may not be the way we thought or wanted. Family is what we seek and need often.
Your writing speaks about the struggles and being brothers. Battles are not easy at all.

[Brent]

Agreed that the battles are often difficult and uncomfortable. Interesting that you pointed out how one bubble can invade another. Sort of like invading another person's space...

Support in the form of family and friends makes these struggles much easier to manage.

[Hari Om]

What i loved was...how u express so much in such a less number of words..heavy emotion ..love it

[Brent]

Sometimes less is more! I was trying to be as concise as possible and still have a memorable quote.

Thank you for your pleasant review!

[John Alexander McFadyen]

This has tones of Shakespeare as you rhyme your way down the page to tell the path some take to acceptance.

[Brent]

That's a gracious comparison! Thanks, if I can be 1/2 of the writer he was, I'll be satisfied. I just like to play around with words and rhyme schemes in unorthodox ways.

Thank you for your kind words!

[AKhaus]

I really love the flow and word choices of this poem. Honest and to the point.

[Brent]

Glad you liked the flow and word choice! I try to make poems "sound good" over being a certain length. Honesty always makes for my best writing.

Thank you for your kind words!

[Mark]

Excellent couplet, you've penned here, dear sir. This notion of the bubble and who we are when we find ourselves inside speaks volumes.

[Brent]

I lived as if I were in a bubble for some time: ignored the news and events happening around me. It brought a false sense of happiness, bred out of ignorance. As the saying goes, "ignorance is bliss". Yet, the notion that we can coexist depends on reaching out to others to understand their experiences. I think then we can start to build mutual understanding and stronger relationships.

Thank you for your thoughtful review!

[Mark]

And now you too are aware of the vast swatch of humanity, walking around with globes filled with smoke, centered on their mind.

[Kai Harmon]

Short but really makes you think, I like that it goes straight to the point and the meaning is clear. I admire anyone who knows how to effectively show the struggles we all face to earn acceptance. I would definitely recommend this. As I said, simple but well written and straight to the point. Well done!

[Brent]

Yeah I focus on meaning in my poem and stay on the short side. I also try to inject some melody into it, since most of my poems are inspired by music.

Thank you for your thoughtful feedback!

[Ayvid N]

Indeed, we are all gregarious creatures, looking for love and acceptance even if we deny this fact to ourselves sometimes.

But I equally seek self acceptance and self-actualization too. Appreciated so much.

[Brent]

Absolutely there is a necessary tension between our need to be accepted by ourselves and by society. It starts with having the courage to be ourselves. When we project this self-confidence to society, it's much easier to connect with others who will support and encourage us in our endeavors.

Thank you for you insights!

[Paul Bell]

I suppose North and South Korea hopefully might be the next statue to freedom. But yes, life is to short.
Freedom really should be about helping your fellow human.

[Brent]

Yes or Israel and Palestine. We can always hope such conflicts will be resolved. The health of our society depends on helping each other in our time of need.

Thank you for your insights!

[AcasualPawn]

Good tone and rhythm...........
Struggling for acceptance thats what is called human.....
Every phase of life is struggling for acceptance....
Keep the good work

[Brent]

Yes, life itself is a continuous struggle composed of smaller struggles. Good observation on that point. Once we overcome one challenge, there's another right around the corner.

Thanks for your kind words!

[Me Llamo Itzel Moctezum..]

Acceptance is the key to everything, without it; things will come off unbalanced.

Always remember to accept yourself first. It's important to value who are and what you stand for on any given day.

[Brent]

Absolutely, positive self-affirmation is something preached though rarely practiced. I try to accept myself through my words and actions as much as possible.

Thank you for your insightful review!