I love being surrounded by talented people.  I find a lot of comfort in writing poetry.  It’s a way for me to tell my truth and speak from the heart.  I’m not alone in turning to writing / poetry to make sense of things or share a message.  My friend, Jo Roberts, puts pen to paper to express herself and she’s building a collection of poems which I hope she will make public through performances or collating them in a book.  She has kindly allowed me to share one of her poems here.

 

Mind your Mouth

by Jo Roberts

 

What rolls off your lips can bring joy, peace and release

On the flip, it can kill joy, like the enemy, your cutting words can kill, steal and destroy

 

Next time you employ that inner critical voice, remember you have a choice

 

You can choose to kill a Rose stone cold dead with your sharp tongue

Sometimes it’s best to leave it unsung

 

Words can speak life

Like the creator said “let there be light”, and the sun appeared

 

What you speak comes into reality

So you should foresee what you bring to be

 

Utter prosperity, complementary, solidarity, sincerity and not vulgarities

 

Declare peace and exhilaration to the nation

The end of famine, destitution, and dissolution

Stigmatisation of the mentally ill

And the creation of healthy life

 

So what fruit will you bear

Will you be the root of all good?

Will your seed sow a brotherhood?