27 July 2012

Balance


"It's all a matter of balance", he said as he looked around.
Easy for him to say as he sashays through his days,
no toddlers tugging him off balance, no
array of tasks to keep home and hearth running
and babies thriving, endless chores for ones too small
for independence. Even the way he said it was a
rebuke, censure embedded in his words.

"Balance", I muttered. "I'll show you balance."
Babies awakened with song, danced around, kissed on both cheeks, (Always
kiss on both cheeks for balance. It shapes them right.),
dressed in colorful clothes, fed farm food cut small for them,
caught doing things right and fed delight in large doses,
freed to spend their days in what catches their fancy and
those who might criticize or castigate kept at bay, far away.
I don't tell them to have balance, I let them
find their balance and stand enthralled when they do.
That's balance.


This is in response to Victoria Slotto's excellent info and prompt on Balance over at dVerse Poets in Meeting the Bar: Critique and Craft. Check it out and join in.

26 comments:

  1. I have always maintained that poetry needs to be read aloud. That said, this piece sounds as lovely as it reads. Well done.

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    1. I've been trying to figure out the read aloud thingy but haven't figured how to get it on my page.

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  2. Nice take on the prompt. I like the way you worked in several of the elements.

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    1. I loved the information that accompanied this prompt. I learned from Victoria and enjoyed that.

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  3. I love this. Made me think of my daughter, who is such a great Mom - out of balance some moments, but finding it always in the nurturing she gives.

    I like your self-description as an ancestor in training. I'm one t00.

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    1. Welcome! My daughter too is a great Mom and we're recently discussing best ways to let kids thrive.

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  4. love it...I don't tell them to have balance, I let them
    find their balance and stand enthralled when they do.
    That's balance.... so true...the only balance is the one someone finds on their own..

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  5. A silent debate...the imagery was lovely!

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    1. You picked it up. My daughter and I have been unschooling and I have many silent debates with myself and not s silent ones with her. I'm learning more in the process.

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  6. I know that mutter! Except she usually does not keep it under her breath. :-)

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    1. Nor do I, but surely age earns us the right to speak our mind!

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  7. Mary, I love this. Balance is a goal, not a reality, especially for mothers. I love the part about letting the little ones find their own balance...but I think it takes us a life time!

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  8. Thoughtfully expressed with flair and... balance!

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  9. It's beautiful, and perfectly balanced. I love the image of kisses on both cheeks for balance...

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  10. ha i love it...the kiss on both cheeks and letting them find their balance....very cool...esp when so many force a balance on their kids...

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    1. As if we could! We're only imposing our guess at what it should be.

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  11. I grow not to like poetry so much, but I love this little story about loving little ones.

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    1. I'm glad you like it, June. Must have struck a chord of recognition.

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  12. yes parenting is an amazing process

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    1. It is… and then the grandparenting process takes it turn at amazing us!

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