Once upon a time
loving kindness
that orphaned daughter
of some forgotten martyr
from a far off constellation
just waiting to happen …
Once drifting so fine
in my distant recollection
a brother lost
distracted by an attraction
to the stranger of danger
and the mother of all crime
Becoming a pawn
in that never ending
murderous game
of worldly power
and territorial gain
the soldier of misfortune
now marching to the tune
of a traumatized mind
On the dirty street corner
sprawled upon yesterday’s paper
used and discarded
“Can you spare a dime?”
scrawled on a sign
The whole Earth is our father’s land
Loving Kindness … once upon a time
Words and Image;
~ David B Redpath © 2018
This is incredibly powerful, David.
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Thank you very much, Susan 🙏
I did try to sharpen the point, with
minimal words, for maximum impact.
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I completely agree with Susan. With your photo and poem you are sending a very powerful message to all the human souls. Please, react to such injustice! As I read each and every line of yours I felt goosebumps at the prospects of so many vulnerable people our world constantly turns its back on.
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It does seem that the world system
approves of there being big winners
at the direct expense of everyone
else … making us all untouchables.
The collateral damage is acceptable,
indeed, profitable. The Economic High
Priests know that war and poverty
is very good for business.
But Peace will come, putting a final
end to this current darkness.
Thanks for reading, Marta 💛
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Lovely message of hope, so eloquently expressed! We should never lose hope. I love your golden heart (I mean yours as a human being and the graphic sign you send me). Love Peace and Justice 💜❤🙏🌈
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“The best and most beautiful things in
the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart 💖”
~ Helen Keller
Bless you, Marta.
Your writings truly reveal a poets heart.
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Bless you too, David. Thank you so much for your encouraging words. I am flattered. You are a an artist and poet’s heart, very talented. Always a pleasure to come back to your blog. 💖”
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You are always welcome, Marta,
here on Highway Bloggery 🙏 💛
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Your words were resonant thru their odds and ends, totally bottled my mind in your statements, your meaning.
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Merci beaucoup, Watt.
As my cat out of the Bagdad got caught in
the swirling vortex of a nightmare time warp. History doesn’t repeat . . . it vomits ✌️
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😂
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Heart felt and meaningful prose … inspires gratitude for what we have and the urge to help our fellow humans no matter what their creed, culture or colour.
✌🏼
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Thank you, Don.
It is a fact that we share the same DNA.
Everything that divides … culture, creed,
borders, are all abstract constructs.
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Breaks my heart…
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Sorry about, Victoria ✌️
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Beautiful words
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Thank you, Lloyd ✌️
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Really meaningful post, My Friend!!!
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Thanks for reminiscing, Chuck 🙏
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Powerfully gripping and makes me sad when I see this happen.
I always give people that are homeless money or I buy them food.
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In the privileged west homelessness just
doesn’t make any sense, as our leaders of
gross entitlement plan their next junket at
the taxpayer’s expense. Mental health gets short shrift and swept under the carpet of
an ever growing “Defence” budget.
As the armaments industry laughs all the
way to the bank 🏦 Extreme capitalism
has no interest in relieving the plight of
the poverty-stricken. It doesn’t add up
on greed’s balance sheet.
Thanks Charlie for being the difference 😎
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Our governments are tied up in such conflict they don’t know what to focus on and where to start. By helping out the homeless people/veterans that should be the priority to help those in need and forget about the other stuff. Then again, there needs to be balanced in the system…nevertheless, the system itself seems unbalanced for many reasons on their part.
You’re welcome, David. I do what I can to help.
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Extremely extremely powerful written poem, David, accompanied by an extremely poignant and powerful photo.
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Thank you very much, Christopher.
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This brought tears to my eyes, David.
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It’s a sad mad situation
too many find themselves in.
Thanks for reading, Anna.
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Wow David both the photo and your words are impactful. So sad to me. Sending prayers and well wishes to this kind soul and his puppy. 🙂
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The pic was taken on the Golden Mile,
Edinburgh. Outside a pub there, where
he, a former soldier, and his dog were
being well taken care of by the clientele
and the generosity of passers by.
I’ve worked with ex servicemen, from
Israel to the United Kingdom. There is
no unseeing what they’ve experienced.
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Oh I love that. I’m happy to know this. I love dogs and how they bring such happiness to lonely ones. Excellent photo
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Deeply powerful David (Christine commenting as Heretics, Lovers, and Madmen)
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Thank you very much, Christine ✌️
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This is sooo good.
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Glad you dug it, Bojana 🙏
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I’m glad too.
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So good! Such a meaningful poem.
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Thank you very much, Lena 🙏
You are very welcome here
on my Highway of Bloggery😎
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The writings of a sensitive, feeling man. Loved it!!
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Thanks for talking the time to empathize 🙏
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sigh. yes. lord. 💙
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🙏 💛 😎
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A hopeful massage by an inspirational poem to humanity … “Once upon a time…..”wonderful💐💐💐💐
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Thank you, Aruna, for taking
my trip down memory lane 🙏💛😎
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Oh .you are best traveller not only India but all countries.thanks for beautiful pics of my India💓🙏🙏🙏🙏
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My rambling pleasure, Aruna 💖
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You are most welcome😊
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despair…
the photo is very powerful. your words are an excellent frame.
i’m not sure who looks worse. the dog or the man. together they bind the world in its conflict.
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Thank you very much. Yes, they both
looked dog tired, sitting outside an
Edinburgh pub with a couple of empty
pot glasses. One each I presumed. And
a sign mentioning the fellows war service.
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