Poetry lets us know we are not alone by Thomas Leduc
At this moment we are a world of poets. When our emotions are struggling, we search our words to make sense of what’s happening around us.
The news drips, a leaky tap to our ears, as we huddle up in our homes and search for answers. We scroll through social media, listen to our leader’s speeches, and talk with one another. From our neighbours and loved ones we witness actions of weakness and bravery. Hidden in all these words and actions is poetry. A limerick to make us laugh, a haiku to have us ponder, a few lines to remind us we are all human, connected and loved.
Recently my wife was scanning some of my grade school photos and she came across a poem I had written when I was about eleven years old. The poem is titled Bravery To Me. I forgot this poem existed. There was no reason for my parents to keep this poem. They kept no other school papers except report cards, so why did they keep the poem. Why did we find it now? Was it because now the definition of bravery is being test around the world?
In our songs, in our speeches, in our war cries and on our tombstones. The oldest piece of writing ever found is of a poem. We keep them because we need them. They touch the truth; the soul of what it is to be human.
Words are what define us so choose them wisely, share them, write them down and keep them. When you need to define what you see happening in the world around you, poetry will find you. Poetry lets us know we are not alone.
A world of poetry means I see you; I hear you; I feel you and I will connect with you.
Thomas Leduc, author of Slagflower: Poems Unearthed from a Mining Town
