Maybe someday we will
have written about humanity
and grace so much
that the paper we scribble on
will burn down
the forest of hate
that grows in casket-closed minds,
eradicating words like
racism, hate, bigotry.
The fire cleansing away
evil and ignorance.
Strike a match with
your pen.
Let’s try at least to
direct the language toward love.
Let’s keep moving the
adjectives higher and higher.
Trust the verbs to lead us,
the pin of light, to the fire.
Maybe as the trees come undone,
leaves igniting,
branches bursting with truth,
charity and clarity will rise.
Rustling beneath skin.
Love rising, tapping deep.
Opening eyes and cleaning tongues
in the dialect of compassion.
Hope slipping into the core.
Porous and large.
Looking out in every direction
until it is inside the sky,
the rocks, the moon.
Lacing the night and hearts with promise,
the rainy season finally over.
Until then, let your pens sway
against the dark waves.
Let’s push our boats against the current.
Light the candle wick.
Kiss it with fervor.
Give flame to the wind and waves.
-Tosha Michelle
Photo, my own
My pens are already swaying against these bloody dark waves that constrain our wrong conception of human life. Moving, brilliant… I am definitely your fan, Tosha.
José Yebra
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Likewise. Never let your pen waiver.
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Lovely thought. One can only hope.
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Thank you and hope we do
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xy
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Thanks, Larry xz
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I love this one… especially the “Strike a match with
your pen”… Have shared!!
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Thank you. I appreciate it. xo
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Wow, very inspirational and moving.
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Thanks, friend. I think it’s a bit naive, but one can’t help but hope.
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If we do not have hope, we have nothing.
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Very true.
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I don’t think it is naive. I think it is wonderful, moving and so beautifully penned. Your pen is already riding the waves and perhaps taming them a bit. I really loved all the feelings and the strength of this one xoxo.
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Thank you. I know your pen is full of love and hope. Mine tends to wane. 🙂
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I think we all tend to fluctuate like the ebb and tide of waters. Are we not composed in majority of that liquid? It would hardly be surprising then. I find your pen full of love and hope too 🙂
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We are and do. Thank you
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Welcome and thank you for sharing such beautiful and inspirational thoughts in your poem
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Likewise!
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🙂
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Excellent
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Thank you.
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My pleasure ♡
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xo
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I like the intensity and the consecutive clauses. But, I think that some line breaks could be smoothed; landing on “it” (2nd to last) was awkward for me.
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I’m sorry. I posted this from my cell and it always formats things wonky. I will fix it as soon as I’m near my laptop. Thank you.
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A wonderful sentiment for humanity. I wish that I had the faith in my human brethren that we will strive for enlightenment and achieve the next level in human development. Until that time, we’re bound to the barbarism and ignorance of the past.
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I think so too. I’d like to believe that love can eradicate hate, but I’m skeptical. I do hope through.
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“Let’s try, at least, to direct the language toward love”. Awesome line. Fantastic picture, too. Love. xo
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Thanks, Niles. Love you
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They say the pen is mightier than the sword. As your poem points out, it can also help strike out discrimination 🙂
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Let’s hope.
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Your poem inspires us all
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You’re very kind xx
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fantastic piece, give us all something to work for!
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Thank you.
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Damn, I love this. Love that strike a match with your pen was brilliant. Amused by your pic taken by that talented photogrpaher “moi.”
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Ha-ha. Thank you! 😉
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Directing the language towards love. ❤ that’s an awesome line, awesome Poetess. All your poems are amazing but each one will have these lines that jump out and grab me. Love your work, Tosha. All my best.
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Thanks, Eric! xx
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Wonderful and compelling post Tosha. And great pic. Those clouds are wild.
😊
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Thank you.
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You’re welcome Tosha.
🙂
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Moi is quite the photographer and poet…I raise my pen to you for sharing this inspirational write and hope that one day, all pens can unite to put an end to all the evil in the world. Beautiful, Tosha!
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Thank you so much. That is my wish too. xo
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You are welcome!! 🙂 xo
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Love the match line. & the pic of the train is awesome.
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Thanks, C-man
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You’re welcome, as always!
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xx
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I liked this quite a bit. Great work!
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Thank you!
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You’re welcome, thank you for sharing:)
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Definitely wonderful thoughts…now if we could just get people reading and internalizing those goals. Blessings 🙂
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What a wonderful world it would be
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Lovely and inspirational! What a great way to spark change with the fire reference to striking a match with our pens. Love it!
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Thank you.
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we can always hope. love you xo
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You too.
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Photographer, writer, singer, mother. Is there anything you don’t do well.
It is very rude, you shit! 😉
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No. I’m a God. Ha! I can’t dance. (well) I have a lousy sense of direction. I get lost in parking lots Other than that, I’m pretty much the bomb.com. OK, well, I do tend to use outdated slang.. so there is that ..you, jive turkey.
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I apparently can dance, but I never do it seriously. I tend to throw myself about like I’m on fire.
I think I have no direction, but, much to my mother’s annoyance, I have always found my way.
Jive turkey should be brought back into use!
Like hell bent buffoon!
Actually I just made that up with hope that it will be in use one day. 🙈
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Copyright it now. Soon all the cool kids will be saying it.
Dance on, you hell bent buffon!
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Is it podcast day today?
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No. We have one tomorrow at 2. We’re interviewing an artist. I may not be on. I have an appointment. I didn’t realize there was a conflict in schedule until too late. I may get my friend Terry to fill in for me. I also need to send you a link to your show. I will do so soon.
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Damn! Was looking forward to hearing the tiny voice!! Haha
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I’m going to do an impression of you on the show. I’ve been watching your videos to get it down. Next week we interview one of my friends. She’s a photographer an actress. That’s on February 2nd at 2. Signed. Mini Mouse
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Here in Provence full night fell. 7:19 p.m.
I wish you a good afternoon.
See you in about eight hours … With pleasure
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Have a wonderful night.
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“Let’s push our boats against the current.” YES!! I love this. It’s so very timely.
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Thank you so much.
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You’re welcome Tosha!
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Reblogged this on A Dose of Inspiration and commented:
Breathtaking poem & photo!! ❤ I can feel the love and beauty seeping through the screen as I read!
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Thank you, lovely
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Wonderfully inspiring – beautiful thoughts put to paper. I hope for the same unification, pray and hope for a better tomorrow.
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Thank you so much.
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Writing is a like a match u have a idea u strike the pen and light the paper on fire with ur ideas
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You came back swinging. 🙂
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Always
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Defiance in dreams. What a brilliant theme and brilliantly written. It rouses the part of you that grows weary with the extent of hate that surrounds us all.
This is a truly brilliantly written piece!!
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Thank you for that
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Reblogged this on wwwpalfitness.
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Thank you xx
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You’re welcome
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Lovely as always all around. If you have time allowed I would be OK for a slot on your show shortly as I am more situated.:)
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I’ll let you know. I’m just getting back from a trip to London. Still out of sorts at the moment
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Ok I understand
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Exquisitely written and filled with hope.
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Thank you for reading and commenting
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Wow, Tosha, this is incredible! I could almost feel the passion in your words, and I’m a hardened curmudgeon who only feels anything when he stubs his toe.
Seriously though, we can help move society to a better place with our words; I was just talking to some kids about Uncle Tom’s Cabin today, which is a work of literature that helped to inspire positive change. Little be little, and with a few big jumps, we’ll get to a point where future generations look back on our present age and say, “How could those people ever be so horrible?”
When current standards regarding race and other forms of social division seem unacceptable, that’ll be a good sign.
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Thanks Josh. You’re definitely a wise and kind soul.
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Oh, I’m definitely not wise! Not always kind, either. But thank you nonetheless!
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Okay, so you’re human like us all then 😜💕
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Earlier today I was watching – or, rather, staring in disbelief – at an episode of Ancient Aliens. So I’m inclined to say that I’m an ape/extraterrestrial hybrid who was genetically engineered by an advanced race that’s helping the U.S. government to spy on all of us.
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Haha. ET meets Alf meets James Bond. 😜
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Yep!
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It’s a really very powerful thought
Hope that hope prevails…
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❤️
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I’ve been too busy to get on here and read you for quite some time, but each thing I’ve ever read has stayed with me. You write so beautifully and see so powerfully.
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Aww thanks so much. Sending loads of positivity and love your way.
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Has been too long since I have visited your site Tosha, so many things have been so crazy and upside down in my life, but they are settling out finally in a right direction I think. What a wonderful way to dive back into the swet Tosha Michelle, love specially:
“Hope slipping into the core.
Porous and large.
Looking out in every direction
until it is inside the sky,
he rocks, the moon.
Lacing the night and hearts with promise,
the rainy season finally over.’
love the sounds, the fire’higher. the charity-clarity.
the way it all ties up together. Hope you are well my friend! 😉
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Hello lovely. WP always takes a backseat to life. I’m happy to read things are back on track with you. Sending lots of love your way. ❤️
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Thank you Tosha 💕
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💕💕💕
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Beautifully penned
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Thank you kindly
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