The spirit of my voice, of my poetry has boundaries and rules. (This is the voice of poetry, lyrics, singing, saxophone-ing.) This voice sets me free yet freedom has strictures. It demands care and honor, even as it takes care. I am warned when I cross over and offend the gift. Yesterday when the barbs of the edge cut into my back, I had to stop and pay attention. A detractor has been attacking me in the comments section of my blog. I have control, can either post or delete the comments. Twice he’s written and each time my li’li’i (small, in Hawaiian) self has responded. Then I delete his nasty note and my response. I delete because I have been using words: the breath behind them, the spirit, in a wasteful manner. My breath, which carries life, essentially, is then being given over to someone who wants to only to hurt me. (And his breath is being given over to something that will conversely hurt him.) Yes, it’s important to speak up for oneself, for justice. The feminist edict of the seventies from Audre Lorde remains planted in my gut: “Your silence will not protect you.” No, it will not. Yet there’s more to this: you must use your words wisely, as a warrior, so they contain power. I wasn’t using my words wisely here, my spirit warned me. I was giving over my power to someone who has made a choice to harass. So I used the delete button, on the screen and within.
FYI I have published all comments except for those containing personal information, and have deleted three. The deleted comments were derogatory.
4 comments:
Peace sista Joy~
I subscribed to your blog because I got your book of poetry, "How We Became Human," and fell in love with you. Your poem, "I Give You Back" I read over and over again. It was my gospel. Ashe.
I had not seen any of the negative postings that you speak about in "Delete and FYI." I don't know what that person said. The only energy we have to give any situation is to see what it is healing, what does it serve. Because of the courage and grace of your heart, something is being healed in you by this experience. Spirit is always with us, in every episode.
Much love and gratitude...Robin
Thank you,again.
Thank you for your wise words. They helped me be at peace with my own decision to no longer engage with a person who wrote naively, yet negatively, to me personally.
Although we are all called to be healers and teachers, I think you're right that sometimes we must pull back, and use our words more wisely.
All be praised for Delete Buttons!
Joy thanks for your post, but most of all thanks for your strong voice and presence of your walk in this world. Your poetry thru the years has touched me in places that sacred sripture has not touched. I am that crazy little woman that does time with Nomi Daylight in KC. In 1995 when i stumbled into a ring of fire your poetry was a mirror of my old feminine soul. And to this day i send you 10,000 Namsate. One of the enduring nuggets to guide me was the map of the world you found in a Maple leaf. I mention that because it has been branded on my forebrain. For me the lesson of the Maple leaf is exactly what you have speaking of in your recent blogs. We can look to the left and be pulled into barbed biteing energy in all of its expressions and hungers. Or we can look to the right and get caught up in judgement and legalism. Or as you said Joy stick to the deepest loam,right up the middle. I call that the path of Love. I join you and keep my focus there. Thanks for the maple leaf, and now i see it everywhere,just this morning i was meditating on Durga (Hindu Universal Mother) and She hold a trident, and it significance is to overcome evil and injustice. What better way than your deepest loam. mm
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