Wednesday, October 19, 2016

I Learned to Sing

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"Everything becomes a little different as soon as it is spoken out loud."
~Hermann Hesse


You know the old saying? "Children are to be seen, and not heard.", as a child I heard that line more times than I care to admit.   There was a certain expectation then of children.  A respect that needed no words only a look that spoke volumes of dismay with one stone hard glance.   There are certain silences that move through years like time travelers, whispering in our ear and telling us what to think and what to do for years to come.  Being the daughter of the time of silence, I have spent my entire adulthood trying to be heard.  The following is my contribution to Poets United's Midweek Motif ~Conversation
Come join us! 



I learned to sing at a young age
sitting on the bus
carrying my voice 
loud and strong 
against the loud 
engine of the bus
no one was listening
only bugs that flew in 
the open window 
at my seat
it was 
a wonderful
feeling to belt out a tune
with my own voice
 for usually I
spoke too softly
to be truly heard
and it would
not have mattered
anyway
people were 
too busy 
to catch
the message
in between 
the lines
but 
after
many years
had passed
a pen and paper
replaced the songs
with poems
that I shared them
 with
everyone
 I could
and now
here I am
once again
writing
a poem
about
how
a long
time 
ago
I
learned
to 
sing.

21 comments:

  1. Carrie, I cant tell you how much I relate to this poem. I was raised without a voice......in an alcoholic home, we were not allowed to acknowledge the drunken violent scenes that occurred night after night. In the morning, we'd pretend none of it had happened. Now allowed to talk about feelings, those were stuffed - all very confusing. I began writing poetry at fourteen, the poems came through me like a river....and I started to sing, to records on my little square record player....when I sang, my voice, like yours, was loud and strong, as I belted out songs of love and pain....and dreamed of a better future. I love this poem!!!!! Wish I had written it myself. Another way the blog world saved me.....my poetry was drying up for lack of support, encouragement or acknowledgment from anyone around me. When people started coming to my blog, it was amazing and my poems took off, have been writing ever since..........so a big thank you to the blogging world, and you were one of those first visitors, my friend. So wonderful that you are writing again.

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    1. Thank you so much Sherry...and thank you for sharing your story...I feel the same way about the blogging world....it helped me so much to have the support and feel that my voice was truly being heard. You have been a wonderful support indeed and a wonderful friend. :-)

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  2. I think what is pressed down always finds a way to wing out sooner or later. So nice to be in your space, Friend, and read your words.

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  3. Learning to sing, indeed, but also learning to have a voice at all. Wow! And I like your intro.. I was silenced as well--poverty does that--when we live in too few rooms for too many people. Plus, showng emotion on the face counted as talking and was equally punishable. You learned to sing. I learned to make pretend worlds in a small area of woods and I learned then--though I ddn't realize it til later--that one can meet the supernatural for real in the silences.

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    1. You are so right Susan...one can meet the supernatural in the silences. Thank you for your encouraging words! It is appreciated and valued very much!

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  4. A few years ago the American author Maya Angelou wrote the book "I know why the caged bird sings". This stunning and beautiful poem reminded me of this.

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    1. That is amazing that you were reminded of that Robin...that poem is one of my favorites of Maya! Thank you Robin! :-)

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  5. with this I can totally relate with....beautiful...!!!
    to visit your blog means to be with butterflies...and I love that!

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  6. You have left me absolutely speechless ❤️ such a heart stirring write.

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  7. Nicely done. I like the reflection of learning to express yourself. I also like how there is no punctuation but yet the sentences make sense.

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  8. Even a whisper, in my opinion, can speak volumes about someone. Speaking, singing, writing, dancing, are all creative forms with which we can communicate our feelings, thoughts and needs. Your own experience, originally may have sprouted from something negative in your life, but it ended on such a melodic note!

    Poppy

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  9. Carrie, this is beautiful & moves me greatly. It is nice to remember those lessons learned, and it is very stirring to read about how you learned to sing. Sing on, poet friend. Sing on~

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  10. It is so much fun with the blogging community Carrie! The beauty of 'comments' puts a lot of satisfaction into it

    Hank

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  11. Hey, nice! Takes me back to boat trips as a boy when I would sing under the rumble and hum of the boat motor. Hadn't remembered that in a looong time. Thanks.

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  12. Good that you learned to sing wich makes the heart happy but even better for us that you started to express yourself with poetry

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  13. Beautifully done, Carrie!Oh, lyrics/words convey their power through rhythm, music and sound....such expressions serve as a clarion call for people to live out happy, confident and free lives.Loved it!

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  14. Delightful poem, Carrie. We all find our voice in different ways, especially those of us who normally "speak softly" and deliver messages "between the lines".

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  16. Nicely done. I like the reflection of learning to express yourself. I also like how there is no punctuation but yet the sentences make sense.

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"Our best thoughts come from others." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson