_________village children________

oh, look around at all the young faces
i mean actually look, not just merely casually
do they appear well-adjusted and content
or are there telltale signs of angst and misery?

being young can be such a difficult experience
oftentimes carefree, yet ever striving to grow
but unless we actually give them the nurturance
tell me, how, are they truly supposed to do so?

they are all god's precious and lovely flowers
however, many are wilting before they can bloom
and unless we reach out to tend and nurture them
can we not foresee the likely garden of gloom?

so, let's make it our duty and responsibility
to really reach out to them time and time again
trusting and believing one day our loving efforts
will usher beautiful blossoms of young women and men.

Jazzy,

Sorry, I seem to be picking on you an awful lot, but I have some very general questions and comments for you.

Your poetry generally seems to suggest a certain idealized way of looking at the world, and suggests that there is an underlying objective truth to the nature of the world and our duty as humans. At least, that's the sort of messages I usually find in them -- especially in the use of words such as "supposed to" and "truly." I'm not criticizing this, or saying it's bad. I'm just sharing an observation here.

Anyway, I've noticed something that you tend to do when responding in the forums. In the average post (not so much in poetry), you put a lot of things in quotation marks. Sometimes it's common phrases and adjectives used to criticize someone, but other times it just seems to be randomly-chosen words that get put into quotation marks (like in your subject heading). I was wondering if there was some cause or motivation behind this. What's the deal? :-)

Please keep in mind that I'm pointing this out in a friendly manner, and not rubbing my sweaty palms together in anticipation as you suggested of me a while ago. I just thought this little quirk was worth mentioning.

Athenian,

In response to the first part of your query, to avoid a bit of redundacy on my part, I believe my entry response under the post, "a sharing - any comments, thoughts welcome" of 04-18-02 will adequately answer your questions.
As to the latter, the phrase, "it takes a village" is an already popular old african proverb (recall Hilliary Clinton's book by the same title); therefore the need to use the quotation marks. And 'truly' since this was something I was adding myself.

Namaste,
Jazzy

jazzy
I enjoyed your poem...and the first thing I thought of was Hiliary! :-)
Alot of good thoughts and I think we need to think positive, think of
our youth, who will someday be running our world. I liked the comparison
to flowers! I think we all need to stand up and take responsiblity
for our youth (flowers) and their growth!

Mary...aka Ladybug

Mary...aka Ladybug,

Thanks for your warms thoughts and words and reflections on the poem. Knowing there are fellow positive, idealistic people as yourself with a strong sense of humanity and concern for our progeny and shared future; still faithfully on the scene is encouraging and truly gives one hope! Again, whenever the 'spirit' might move you, we could use your own creative words to brighten, heighten our thought worlds!

Namaste,
Jazzy