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Wednesday, April 06, 2011

Don’t Tell Me, Show Me (Don’t ___, ___ Poem)


I only call myself
a writer
on the days that
I write.

The only commodity
of any value
are these precious

days

and how you spend them
is the most profound
challenge.

So, don’t tell me
you’re going to write
the Great American Novel
if you didn’t do it today.

Don’t tell me
you’re going to live
in peace and harmony
and then flip off
some driver who couldn’t
read your mind.

Don’t tell me
you believe in Jesus
if you still aren’t
loving your enemies.

Don’t tell me what you believe,
show me what you’ve done.

Words are nice,
but actions are necessary

and if you don’t believe me
ask the next
hungry, homeless person
you see

“would you rather
I pray for you
or feed you?”

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous3:56 PM

    Buddah, since I have not been on PA for a long while, I did log on and used their prompt this week. Just wanted to say I left a comment on there about this wonderful poem. It's Lent, and that's the time I tend to pray more about the ways I fall short. Your poem was food for thought, and I loved it.

    I'm going to click links when pp leave them and visit their sites from now on at P.A. Too much stuff to wade through... so I only left my link:
    http://sharplittlepencil.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/dont-forward-emails/

    I love you, brother. Amela

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  2. In short: Thank you!

    The longer version: How do I get to know you?

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  3. that last line was... wow. your poetry never ceases to stab the reader.

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  4. @ sharplittlepencil - thanks my sistah, I agree too much to wade through, but it's sometimes fun to see what people post. Much luv to you and the Rev- Mosk

    @ Andrea - get to know me by reading my poetry, or if you have specific questions write me at ihatepoetry@verizon.net

    @Julia - thanks - stabbing the reader is a nice image.

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