Wednesday 24 February 2016

Martyr

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How much greater the world would be

If there were no cause for martyrdom

Humans in power are a different race

Their insatiably flaming hunting spree

Makes truth seekers their big game

From Socrates to Jeanne d’Arc

To Bhagat Singh to Martin Luther King

The chase curiously involves all colors

 

Now the Eye is on the most coveted trophy

This blithe, buoyant, warbling Earth

All songs will stop and fire will rage

Love with glass stare will be in cage

Before the specters will hang the precious prize

There won’t ever be another “human sunrise”

 

The quote is from Alice Walker’s poem ~ Our Martyr

 


Posted for Susan’s Midweek Motif ~ Martyrdom / Witness @ Poets United

20 comments:

  1. sad to say the cause remains, that some will always choose, the ultimate statement to render their truth

    Have a good Wednesday Sumana; thanks for a very stimulating prompt

    much love...

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  2. That's true... Greed will stop at nothing.

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  3. Before the specters will hang the precious prize
    There won’t ever be another “human sunrise”

    Such a stellar close..!

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  4. What power! What despair! Such a poem must transform that species back to human so that "This blithe, buoyant, warbling Earth" can live on. Those trophy hunters! When I am in their rooms I can not swallow. Thank you, thank you.

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  5. Love with glass stare will be in cage - what a stunning line..yes i hadn't thought of that - martyrdom being the result of conflict..we should indeed seek sunrise not sunsets..

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  6. Your poem is exquisite. Sad, but true that earth is the trophy and love stares.

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  7. I love "the blithe, buoyant warbling earth". This poem really speaks to me, especially the stunning closing lines. Wow, Sumana! Way to rock the prompt.

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  8. Sumana,

    A world to fear as things continue to rise up, seeking more and more. Greed for power and riches is driving many, in the name of a particular cause..A very strong prompt for writing this week.
    Eileen

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  9. Chilling...your closing line especially. Well said, Sumana.

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  10. The way the world is, I'm afraid there will always be martyrs---but I wish there weren't!

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  11. I hope it is not the cost we all will pay, but I fear it is--stunning images in this piece

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  12. "Martyr" archetype just completes the cycle of human characters...we are probably all go through it on some stage of our spiritual development...

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  13. If one can embrace that there is only one life to give, one life to make things beautiful again, violent ends to martyrs, whether forced upon or voluntary, could hopefully cease.

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  14. True, the heaven would have prevailed here, had there been no martyrs.

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  15. A great poem..
    'Love with glass stare will be in cage'...wow!

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  16. Sadly that rage for power doesn't dwindle. You have painted a scene similar to Tolkien- an eye in pursuit of love and all that's green. Sobering poem

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  17. So many long for that day! So beautifully written, Sumana!

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  18. The poet may warn, but who heeds the poet? Only another poet...

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