Invisible Poetry

This week's activity was inspired by a poetry competition run by the Dunedin Public Library. One of the competition categories is 'invisibility'. Three variations on the theme were presented for us to write a poem about: 1. A time when you felt invisible, 2. Having the power of invisibility, and 3. Something you can't see such as air, sound, feelings or thoughts. Most of us managed to complete two of the three. The poems made very thoughtful listening. 

IS THERE A WAY?

Feeling invisible

Can be painful..

Seen t h r o u g h

Ignored

Safe

Hurting

And this hurt unseen

Un-held

Grows

Is there a way?

A middle way

To be hurt and held

And safe

Is there a way

To be hurt 

And hold

One's self ?

- Pauline

UNTITLED

There are things 

In this world

Unseen

Only sensed

Unexpectedly

The perfume

Of the

Unknown

- Pauline

FLAG

Hope hangs in the air, unlifted

An invisible flag on an unseeable flagpole

High winds and storms batter at life

Shaking the air into waves and funnels, 

Threshing up doubt, fear and resistance

And within this churning foaming maelstrom

Hope lifts and flies, rampant, moving, fighting

-Kate Jenkins

CHAGRIN

If I could hear what others say

in the quiet places of their lives

I would cloak my self in invisibility

and not return.

My ears would turn to stone and

no more tell my mind their tale of joy or woe

My mind would burn from too much pain

not seen before, not noticed, & joy not learned

Their eyes I would not face, for fear of seeing

the accusations which would burn there.

Curtail contact, curtail speech, 

feel now embarrassment, shame, alone.

-Kate Jenkins

OUR SYSTEM FRAMEWORK

What is your customer number?

He asked me on the phone

I don't have a number

I reply as I groan.

Why can't you find my name

Hidden in your system?

Don't make me play this game

I beseech and plead with him.

We need to fit you in a box

Within our system framework

He says in a tone that mocks.

What an f''ing jerk!

How else can we do this?

There must be a way

I really do miss

When I was a name!

- Christine Philp

MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SEE

I see me

You see me

The same person

Yet different seeings.

You see hope

And possibilities

I don't.

You see confidence

And abilities

I minimise them.

You see smiles

And laughter

I can, sometimes.

Sometimes I wish

You could see the me I see

But then you wouldn't like me either.

Other times, I wish I could see me

As you see me

And not `yeah but' all the positives you see.

- Christine Philp