Hello, beautiful readers! For this week's #TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge, Robbie invites us to write a series of senryu poems of opposing human experiences. Senryu poems consists of three lines with a 5-7-5 syllabic pattern. Where haiku poems focus on nature, senryu poems focus on human experiences. These poems focus on sexual matters, family relations, religion, politics, and anything that touches on the pain we experience through sorrow, prejudice, oppression, anger, and frustration.
I chose to create a mixture of religion and politics, two subjects I rarely discuss, but the words came to me easily, so I went with it. I also chose to focus on extremes, though I do recognize that we are multi-faceted and have a range of tolerances (or lack thereof).
(image courtesy of @mykhailo_kolisnyk on Pixabay)
Moral Divergence
born and raised Christian
claims to follow holy word
will skip whole chapters
never went to church
taught kindness and
compassion
shares love with people
religious scripture
takes teachings out of context
used incorrectly
behavior modeled
lessons learned from life
choices
forgiveness given
my way or high way
wants superiority
focuses on self
accepts differences
empathizes with others
live, let live motto
judges unfairly
sees diversity as threat
only wants likeness
open heart borders
embraces diversity
always strives for peace
Would you like to write a senryu series? Join us here.
You are absolutely right, Yvette. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Nolcha! I appreciate your visit. :-)
DeleteLove this.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Reena! I appreciate you stopping by. :-)
DeleteWonderful take on the prompt, Yvette. My hope is that the judgment extremes walk towards the center. Isn't that where the heart resides? ❤️
ReplyDeleteThat is my hope as well, Gwen. Thank you for visiting. :-)
DeleteI like how your thoughts flow about the paradoxical human emotions, Yvette. A perfect take on the prompt.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Balroop! I appreciate your visit. :-)
DeleteGreat series, and I agree 💞
ReplyDeleteThank you, Suzanne! I appreciate you visiting. :-)
DeleteI cannot believe some of what has been called newsworthy. That people in power claim divine selection or that they want to 'rule' more than what they are all ready incapable of doing. While I am of a different faith - I sincerly grieve the death of the Pope.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jules! I am not tied to any one religion, and I also grieve the Pope's loss. He was a beacon of love, kindness, compassion, and peace. I only hope the next Pope emulates those same traits. Thanks for sharing! :-)
DeleteI like your series. I hope somehow we all find the common ground that’s right there if we only care to look. Very good and eloquent series. Thanks Yvette. Xo, Selma
ReplyDeleteThank you, Selma! Unfortunately, too many people are uninterested in meeting in the middle. I still hope we get there. Thanks for sharing, Selma! :-)
DeleteYes!! This is a brilliant senryu series. Religion and politics are always difficult, but your words poured from your heart! This is a good capture of what is happening in America right now. I couldn't agree with you more. 💖
ReplyDeleteThank you, Colleen! I appreciate you visiting. :-)
DeleteYvette, this was lovely, and so thought provoking. Born into a fanatical religious family, I know and can attest to the truths you stated here.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Violet! I, too, have lived through the hypocrisy. Thanks for visiting. :-)
DeleteSo true ...better to love god and others quietly and truly than to strut about pretending to! 💙
ReplyDeleteExactly, Willow! Thanks for stopping by. :-)
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