At dVerse Lisa is hosting Prosery (144 words) with an invitation to respond to a line from a poem ‘Notes On Uvalde’ from Girl Du Jour. To read that full poem follow the link below. The line offered is “These are the things they don’t tell us”
dVerse Poets – Prosery – How Many More Will It Take?
“This is the ultimate weakness of violence: It multiplies evil and violence in the world. It doesn’t solve any problems.” Martin Luther King Jr
The Pain
I grew up torn by love, when the world was bruised by war and violence I was in pain, and I still am. When people are marginalised, hated and discriminated against I hurt too. Sometimes my anger boils in frustration. Why? Why can’t women determine their bodies? Who decides someones sexuality? Why Poverty? Why war? Why guns? Grief can be overwhelming even when it is vicarious. But we’re all in it together, it affects all.
The real pain of it all is the pain that comes from love, compassion and empathy. The alternative is to stoop into that gutter I am calling out. There is a cost to positive, non-violent action, to standing with the underdog, to protest, to speak out. Sometimes the cost is loneliness, sometimes it is wrangling with the impotence to effect change. These are the things they don’t tell us.
Copyright 2022 ©Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️
parallax 
You are right Paul, ambivalence and activism are a double-edged sword. We are living in a time of Chaos.
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Yes I feel it Helen, we are sitting on a knife edge in the world.
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Yes, there is often a price and pain to stand up for what is good and do the hard things. A heart-felt post! 💓
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Thank you so much Tricia, yes, as you say, thank you for sharing that.
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This one really hit home.
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It drives me nuts – the answer is obvious, but truth to power is not happening, how to get there, gah! Thank you Liz.
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You’re welcome, Paul.
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There is pain in love. But the pain would be unbearable if love was abandoned.
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Good point Patricia, yes, unbearable without love.
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It’s an important distinction you make about pain. There is the pain that ripples out from violence upon others because pain somehow justifies evil acts in the mind of the perpetrator. Then there is the pain of empathizing and advocating for less acts of violence that leads to healing and a healthier community. I just notice that heal and health both have the same root ❤
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Yes, the root word is special for me, nice to notice. Thank you for the keen and clear observation, loving your engaged response.
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You are most welcome, Paul.
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Well done. And yes it is.
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Many thanks Bill, much appreciated.
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Very true words. Nobody wants to think of that cost.
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Yes, I find it confronting, but also most people I know change the subject.
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It’s the only way to accept reality.
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Yes indeed!!
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Reblogged this on NEW BLOG HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Thank you for sharing 🙂
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Love this prose – very true
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Yes, our journey so to speak.
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