Hello, beautiful readers! This week's #TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge was hosted by the poet Lisa. Her challenge this week was to write a poem using synonyms for the words promise and comfort. I have bolded and italicized my synonyms in my poem below.
I chose to write a kimo, which is a three-line poem with a 10/7/6 syllabic pattern. Kimos focus on a single frozen image. Here in America, our elections took place last night. Not only were there elections for the presidency, but most states had local elections as well. In my state, we had an amendment to repeal the six-week abortion ban that our governor imposed on us. Sadly, in our state, an amendment needs 60% of the votes to pass. The amendment only reached 57%. The majority of our state does not want a six-week abortion ban, but it doesn't matter.
My heart is broken for the daughters, nieces, sisters, and granddaughters that no longer have the rights I had growing up. It hurts for the children who will be born into neglectful and abusive families. It aches for the babies who will be born to drug addicts and alcoholics and will most likely have a drug dependency or some kind of disability because of it. It cries for the babies who will be born with a life-ending disease and will suffer for the hours/days that they live before dying. It screams for the pregnant women who will be forced to carry those babies to term or will have their lives put in danger because something goes wrong with their pregnancy and the doctors won't help them because they fear losing their licenses.
This is not pro-life; this is pro-power. The bible clearly states that God gives His children free will. Actions have consequences, and each person will atone for those choices when he/she has his/her judgment day. This abortion ban takes away a woman's free will to make her own choices for her body. This ban is not pro-life. If it were, it would consider all the lives that will be negatively affected by this ban. It does not. Already, other bans in our country are showing a higher infant mortality rate. They are showing women dying because they were not give the care they needed in the midst of a miscarriage because doctors were afraid to help them. Families are being left heartbroken. Children are losing their mothers. This is not pro-life. 😔
her autonomy obliterated
health care assurances - gone
no solace in darkness
If you'd like to join us in writing a poem this week, click here.
I'm sorry it failed by such a small percentage. Your kimo is wonderful. It's going to be a tough four years, hopefully no more than that.
ReplyDeleteIf this new administration follows through with their promises, then it will forever impact every aspect of our democracy, and not in a good way. I hope you are right, though. I truly do. Thanks for visiting, Lisa! :-)
DeleteSad.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is, Aishwarya! Thanks for visiting. :-)
DeleteAn informative post, Yvette. We are living in strange times. Robbie
ReplyDeleteWe truly are, Robbie! Thanks for visiting. :-)
DeleteYou expressed to profoundly what so many of us are feeling. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jan! Hugs right back at ya! Thanks for sharing! :-)
DeleteA heartbreaking election, Yvette. I'm afraid that things are just going to get worse. We are in for some dark times. Thank you for caring.
ReplyDeleteI choose to believe that those who voted as they did need to live with the choices they made. I just hope our democracy is strong enough to endure it. Thanks for visiting, Diana! :-)
DeleteSad day indeed. As somebody said somewhere, "They know not what they do. " One thing I have found is insurance and assurance are two very different things.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is, Peter! I agree that they have no idea what they have done, but ignorance isn't an excuse. It is every citizen's responsibility to research and understand what the amendment says and the ramifications of the outcome. Sadly, it seems that didn't happen, and now women and little girls across our state will suffer the consequences. Thanks for visiting and sharing your thoughts. :-)
DeleteBeautifully said. I know several women who had miscarriages that would have died under these new laws. Medical decisions should be between a doctor and their patient.
ReplyDeleteI agree wholeheartedly, Kerfe! Thanks for stopping by and sharing. :-)
DeleteYour words speak volumes, and I fear for you and your country and also us in the wider world. I fear nothing will very be the same. The world is teetering on the edge and that man will shove it over.
ReplyDeleteI pray Margaret Attwood is not a prophet. God bless you and heaven help us all.💜💜
Thank you, Willow! Those who do not learn from history are bound to repeat it. Unfortunately, we have a LOT of people in this country who do not bother to educate themselves on the facts. Instead, they listen to podcasts and social media videos that align with their beliefs and shut out facts. I pray our democracy and Constitution holds strong, for us and the world. :'( Thank you for your comments! :-)
DeleteYvi, this is a profound post and kimo poem. You said what has been balled up inside my heart. It is beyond me how the Christian Nationalist Magas think they can pull off all the evil they intend to do. The felon's first 4 years was a bumbling mess. We're going into very dark days. 💔
ReplyDeleteThank you for connecting with my poem, Colleen! I am holding onto hope that our democracy is strong enough to overcome what is ahead of us.
Delete(Jules) We (as women) once again fear for 'back alley' help. No man or other woman should impose such unhealthful restrictons. We have returned to a dark age. And if we are to believe some of the 'promises' of the new (cough) leadership, as a people the 'US' is going deeper into the depths of the dark well of dispair. Especially with leadership that will not listen to anything distracts from 'their' dictatorship. We can only hope that the damage will be minimal and reversible.
ReplyDeleteThat is my hope, Jules! Thanks for visiting and commenting. :-)
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