Spoken Word- Poetry
It is a bright Sunday morning, and I can’t stop thinking of the past few days and how days are moving so fast. Just the other day, I started preschool; l still remember the joy in my soul. I can still feel the young girl ready to face the world, the days unfolding in front of her eyes. It’s mesmerizing how this young girl lost her dreams in the process. Losing herself to the crowd of people and to the pressure that society has instilled in us. A few years ago, that young lady was ready to face the world and be the best in cooking. Today, the world looks so sophisticated. The hate and anger that people possess towards one another, the shame and burden that the world holds. It is a shame that the innocence we once had has been carried away by the wind as years passed.
Today sitting at the corner of my room, I still wonder if my past self would be happy with the person I have grown to be. I used to think of myself as a double character, the young version of myself holding the dreams, cheering at me to accomplish the set goals. Have I failed the young version of myself, or I have a long way to go? Well, it’s not a long way to go as years are passing, and soon my time on earth will be over. The lost dreams will carry with it the lost memories of myself. I still have hope that my time is yet to come, as l build myself to face the future, am hopeful.
Just the other day, I witnessed the cruelty and hate that is in the world. The police are killing civilians just because they are not from the same race, the civilians hating on the police from a different race. The hate is too much for me to bear. Walking in the streets has been a problem; violence is the only way out for many people. Shooting one another for petty issues. When does it all stop? I am focused on the future and the generations to come. Hopefully, they will embrace one another. Childhood is a reflection of who we are supposed to grow and become but rarely does this happen. When is the innocence stripped from us? Can the new generations be given a fresh start? Away from the violence, the hate, the disrespect, the campaigns, the noise, the anger, the malice, the killings. Away from everything that is making all things go wrong in the society around.
I am hopeful for the future; l am confident that the people have learned from their mistakes. In the years to come, l will try my best to become the young version of myself. The innocence that l once had, the hope for the future, the big wide world opening up with its hope and dreams—the love and joy to discover one another and learn from our differences. I dream of a new world; l dream of a new life.
Reflection
The above piece of art is a reflection of what l dream of in the new world. An ideal world where there would be no violence or hate and other vices that make the society corrupt and full of violence. Today in the United States, people are fighting because they want recognition and respect. The people are fighting for a better future for the generations to come, intending to reduce discrimination. Across the world, people are also fighting to have a more inclusive society.
On the other hand, minority groups need to find a more sustainable way to fight, which does not involve violence or hate. My writing is about future generations, creating a conducive environment for them to grow and focus their energy on developing their world. The fight has always been about equality, discrimination, recognition, yet there are so many benefits we can reap by working together. Science and technology are some of the things people can come together to develop and grow.
In ‘This is my song’ and my creative piece of art, the central theme is individuals coming together despite their differences. Also, the theme of hope is demonstrated in both works. According to ‘This is my song,’ the writer is separated from her daughter and grandson; they are brought together through a song. The separation is emotional, and there exists a physical conflict as Joe tries to find himself in the world around. The father, daughter, and grandson have different life challenges, and they are all conflicted about changing the surrounding circumstances. Rafael Ullman, a young man, living with his family in Prague during the 1930s, is overwhelmed by the Holocaust as Europe crumbles. Rafael loses his family as well as his love for music in the process. He is drawn into a quiet life that he does not understand. In my story, the speaker is lost in his room on a Sunday morning, thinking of the world. Like Rafael, the speaker is lost in a new world of violence, unable to understand what the future holds. In the end, Joe, who can sing with technical perfection, has difficulty finding inspiration with what he feels. He finally gets a mysterious musical score amongst the belongings of his grandfather, Rafael. He can finally attach feelings to his song, which is a voice of hope and love. In the same case, in my creative writing, the speaker finds hope for the future when people strive to come together. The central theme in both writings is hope and people coming together despite the different circumstances that they have in life.
According to Catholic Social Teaching, we are all a family of God, and coming together forms a community. Despite our many differences, we are all the children of God, created for various purposes. Hence, coming together and participating in multiple activities brings about peace, essential for any society. A community is built when we put our differences aside and embrace one another for our differences. Also, catholic social teachings emphasize the need for dignity for human life. Therefore, the violence created when people are fighting with one another is unhealthy, leading to separation. Individuals need to respect one another despite their differences. We are all human beings, having the same color of blood flowing in our veins. Thus, violence and killings disregard the human nature of other people. It is time that we seek equality in the love that we share in Christ, putting the needs of others before our own as a sign of peace and recognition.