Poems about Personal Power
I’m certainly not one to reflect on poetry very often.? In fact, my?siblings would laugh out loud if they knew I were including some poems in my blog post.? You see, their memories of me are the silly poems I would write to each of them when we were younger.? They went something like ‘Dene, Dene, the washing machine; you’re twenty one and another load’s done’ (no, I am not sure of what that means…all I thought is that it had to rhyme to be a poem!).?? Others were ‘Desi is a beautiful gal; I sure am glad that she’s my pal’, and?‘There once was a boy named Devin; who looked like he came from heaven; a big bright smile; nice teeth like a crocodile; and girlfriends I think he has seven!‘
So, you can see, this is not my forte.? Although I do think Miss Bill, my grade 12 English teacher, would be proud!
I have, however, come across some poems in my life that I really love.? I’d like to share a few with you.
Here’s the first – it reminds me that I am owed nothing for this wonderful life.? It reminds me that when we operate from the stance of expecting nothing in return, and just ‘doing’ because it’s the right thing to do, that’s personal power?- that’s personal responsibility – that’s love – and that’s what we need more of in our workplaces, our homes, and our schools today.
The Sun Never Says – by Hafiz
?
Even
after
all this time
the sun never says to the earth,
“You owe me.”
Look
what happens
with a love like that –
It lights the whole world.
?Here is a lovely video of the poem, with images and music.
?
The next?is?by
Virginia Satir.? I became familiar with her and her work when I became a Certified Practitioner in
Neuro-Linguistic Programming in the early 1990’s.? This is a poem I gave to both my children – and it reflects how I feel about each and every relationship in my life.? I want to be connected to you – not owe or own you – and have you feel the same.
?
I want to love you without clutching
appreciate you without judging
join you without invading
invite you without demanding
leave you without guilt
criticize you without blaming
and help you without insulting
if I can have the same from you, then we can truly meet and enrich each other
?
I love this quotation by Virginia Satir.? It reminds me that I am in charge of ‘me’.? A pretty empowering message, I think!? And, isn’t it exactly the message I think we want to deliver to our children, to our workplace teams, and to our friends.
?
I am Me. In all the world, there is no one else exactly like me. Everything that comes out of me is authentically mine, because I alone chose it — I own everything about me: my body, my feelings, my mouth, my voice, all my actions, whether they be to others or myself. I own my fantasies, my dreams, my hopes, my fears. I own my triumphs and successes, all my failures and mistakes. Because I own all of me, I can become intimately acquainted with me. By so doing, I can love me and be friendly with all my parts. I know there are aspects about myself that puzzle me, and other aspects that I do not know — but as long as I am friendly and loving to myself, I can courageously and hopefully look for solutions to the puzzles and ways to find out more about me. However I look and sound, whatever I say and do, and whatever I think and feel at a given moment in time is authentically me. If later some parts of how I looked, sounded, thought, and felt turn out to be unfitting, I can discard that which is unfitting, keep the rest, and invent something new for that which I discarded. I can see, hear, feel, think, say, and do. I have the tools to survive, to be close to others, to be productive, and to make sense and order out of the world of people and things outside of me. I own me, and therefore, I can engineer me. I am me, and I am Okay.
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Have you got a favourite poem or quotation that really resonates with you?? Share it here and I’ll pass it along.
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Deri Latimer, B Mgt, CSP, is an expert in possibilities for people! She is one of fewer than 10% of speakers globally who hold the designation of Certified Speaking Professional. Deri combines a Business degree in Human Resources with experience from business sectors including health care, manufacturing, education, agriculture, government, mining, transportation, tourism, and professional services. Deri helps individuals and organizations optimize their performance by managing their energy; applying the latest research and practice in positive psychology, appreciative inquiry, emotional intelligence, neuroleadership, and employee engagement.? www.derilatimer.com ?
I’m certainly not one to reflect on poetry very often.? In fact, my?siblings would laugh out loud if they knew I were including some poems in my blog post.? You see, their memories of me are the silly poems I would write to each of them when we were younger.? They went something like ‘Dene, Dene, the washing machine; you’re twenty one and another load’s done’ (no, I am not sure of what that means…all I thought is that it had to rhyme to be a poem!).?? Others were ‘Desi is a beautiful gal; I sure am glad that she’s my pal’, and?‘There once was a boy named Devin; who looked like he came from heaven; a big bright smile; nice teeth like a crocodile; and girlfriends I think he has seven!‘
Deri Deri
daughter of halyuh and gerry
authentically herself
and as sweet as a fairy
Whoa! That totally rocks! You are very talented, I must say!
I am positive that you come from a likewise talented family!!