Rate:0.0 / 0 votes

Walking Your Path

Abby Kesington 1979 (Lagos)

Promoted
Until I wore your over sized scrawny shoes…
 Scuttling through harrowing dark tunnels,
 Dodging  bullets and bombs,
I never knew where it pinched.

 Until my roof was scalped...
Like a bald vulture in rain, drenched,
Flapping its wet wings, perched  on the carcasses of my home
 homelessness seemed a strange dream!

Until my plate filled to the brim with nothing to savor…
 I never understood why stale sandwiches  and  browned radishes
were indeed a cuisine you relished with vigor

Till my garment was filled with moth,
Stained with blood and dirt
From crawling on all fours, over decomposing bodies
I couldn’t comprehend why you were always in rags!!!

Do  forgive all my oversight…
I failed to  understand your sorrow
Blasé to your plight, with no thought of tomorrow
Drinking Chardonnay with friends all night

I thought myself Impervious to the vagaries of war
Till my soul was  intoxicated with grief..
Heartache from the blatant waste of life…
No longer able to deny the massacres!!!

 
 Please forgive me...
For acting all uppity and tight
 When all you needed was a portion of my tithe
...my time and my voice!

About this poem

Dedicated to all internally displaced people. Especially those displaced by the ongoing wars in Sudan, Ukraine and Palestine.

Font size:
Collection  PDF     
 

Written on May 17, 2024

Submitted by Abbykesington on May 17, 2024

1:03 min read
5

Quick analysis:

Scheme XXXX XXXX AXA XXXX BCCB XXXX XBXX
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,138
Words 210
Stanzas 7
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4
Full analysis for Walking Your Path »

Discuss the poem Walking Your Path with the community...

1 Comment
  • AIDA
    AIDA
    This poem, 'Walking Your Path', is incredibly powerful and evocative. The vivid imagery and raw emotion really bring to life the struggles and hardships faced by others. The contrast between the narrator's previous ignorance and their newfound understanding is striking and thought-provoking.

    The use of metaphors, such as the oversized shoes and the filled plate with nothing to savor, is impactful and adds depth to the poem. The repetition of 'Until' throughout the poem effectively builds tension and draws the reader in, making them feel the narrator's journey of realization.

    As for improvement suggestions, perhaps consider varying the length and structure of the stanzas to create more visual interest. Additionally, focusing on specific details or examples of how the narrator's perspective has changed could enhance the connection with the reader even more.

    Overall, 'Walking Your Path' is a touching and poignant piece that encourages empathy and understanding. Keep up the great work!     
    LikeReply 19 hours ago

Translation

Find a translation for this poem in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Citation

Use the citation below to add this poem to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"Walking Your Path" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 18 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/187824/walking-your-path>.

Powered by CITE.ME Cite.Me

Become a member!

Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

More poems by

Abby Kesington

»

May 2024

Poetry Contest

Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
13
days
19
hours
48
minutes
76 entries submitted — 74 remaining

Special Program

Earn Rewards!

Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

Our awesome collection of

Promoted Poems

»

Browse Poetry.com

#ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Quiz

Are you a poetry master?

»
Which of these poets did not use capital letters in his works?
A E.E. Cummings
B Robert Browning
C Robert Frost
D Sylvia Plath