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Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Picnic



"Life's no picnic," is the lesson
I was given as a child.
And yet, all these years,
that is exactly what it has been.

I find a grassy mound,
spread out the red checkered cloth,
lie back, look up, and take it all in:
blue bowl of sky, perfect puffy
storybook clouds,
birds on the wing.

The basket of goodies
changes every day:
the wonders of Choice,
and Delight.
I peek under the cloth;
every time: Perfect.
Just what I wanted.

The guest list keeps changing,
depending on who feels like a picnic
on that particular day.

The chore list changes too,
"from each, according to his ability,
to each according to his need".*
Some of us get to do more chores,
while others eat cake off a golden saucer,
because that is just the way of it.

The afternoon grows dreamy,
we replete with the perfection of the day.
Butterflies flutter by, bees buzz,
and no one is frightened of being stung.
We thank them for the honey.
They dip a wing,
and circle the hive.

Animals cavort and frolic 
all over the meadow,
unafraid and safe.
On my picnics, no animal
is ever harmed.
The homeless, the refugees, 
the outcasts, the disenfranchised, 
the suffering, the lonely,
are invited guests,
welcomed with love.
We open the basket,
distribute the choicest treats.

There is room for all of us here.


*Karl Marx said this, according to Wiki, though I did not know that when I remembered the quote.

for Susan's prompt at Midweek Motif: Picnic. A metaphor for our world, the way it could be, the way we would so love it to be.


22 comments:

  1. How I love the final list of your guests..."Some of us get to do more chores,
    while others eat cake off a golden saucer,
    because that is just the way of it."..way of the world perfectly captivated :)

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  2. What a delightful picnic... wish I was there too Sherry!

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  3. This is such a positive, uplifting and beautiful poem. Loved it :)

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  4. Such a wise and profound write :D

    Lots of love,
    Sanaa

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  5. Room for all. A concept that is often forgotten in our world today...

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  6. I adore your open arms in this piece welcoming all! You are just that kind of person. I would love to be at that picnic, having that life!

    My poem starts the same as yours and now I'm beginning to feel like we probably aren't the only ones. So many of us have heard, "Like is no picnic."

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  7. Oh, Sherry, this is SO you. Even though we've yet to meet (one day, we hope) I know what kind of person you are, and you're wonderful.

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  8. Life IS a picinic, at least in this wonderful world you've depicted. I LOVE this poem. It is your heart, where there's room for all.
    Congratulations Sherry on the kindness of your spirit.

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  9. Counting my blessings along with the guests at your picnic, a feast that is very possible if we live it. Thank you for the joy today.

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  10. One can hope and dream, for such a world, to exist and nourish all, in all of their needs/

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  11. There are a lot of great, little details in this poem, Sherry. I think I most admire the golden saucers detail, and the looking up at the blue bowl of the sky. Very nice.

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  12. This sounds like a delightful picnic, I would gladly bring a dish to share.

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  13. In this poem I read that life itself is a picnic and we should embrace it in the same way with joy and love just as we did when children. If only more would feel this way.

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  14. The picnic differs but wouldn't it be great if the attitude were the same?

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  15. Fantastic metaphor, All serve, all enjoy.

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  16. Perfect metaphor! Can I be a guest?
    Sounds lovely.

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  17. What a testament to your glowing soul Sherry - life is indeed what we make it and i love the analogy you have spread before us - the blue bowl of sky and perfect puffy storybook clouds especially - we will bring the cake and tea and join you on that hill xo

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  18. That looks perfect...the setting, the emotions....it's a metaphorical Classic!Love this, Sherry!

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  19. Lovely welcoming poem opening its arms wide ... there's room for all of us.. so true.

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  20. My revolutionary genes do not sit easy with some eating cake from gold saucers and others "doing chores"....:)I like the rest of the poem.

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  21. I like that there is room for all of us. I am sure you could prepare a wonderful picnic, Sherry.

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