Pushing Forward…never tiring in the face of adversity

When times are dark, we persevere.

Pushing Forward…never tiring in the face of adversity

When times are dark, we persevere.

When there is no necessity to do so, we serve.

When most people are wrapped up in “going about doing their own thing,” creatives are doing the work that goes unnoticed; unreported by the media; overlooked and only appreciated by the folks that creatives serve.

It is when the spotlight is cast elsewhere that dedicated creatives do their best work…unsung; not recognized; taking on the mantle of empowerment of others when those “leaders” who can make a difference in people’s lives, fail to do so.

The silent ones speak to those who need the resonance of their voices.

The forgotten ones are seen and heard by those creatives who enrich their lives. 

It is within the inherent truth of emerging collective and powerful voices that challenge the status quo. Diverse voices that make a difference even when those heroic efforts and unselfish caring for others go unnoticed and are purposely disregarded and not part of the agenda of people in power. 

aaduna understands individual heroism that all too often exists “beneath the surface.” Today’s featured poet is a hero and is recognized as such by the community and region in which that hero calls home. This warrior poet for years routinely manifested the best that creatives can offer to those in need of intellectual enrichment, as well as a recognition of their humanity. 

Patricia Roth Schwartz [photo provided]

Patricia Roth Schwartz is a poet, writer of fiction, and memoirist. She resides in the Finger Lakes region of New York state. Her seven volumes of poems (and some short prose) are available on her web site, www.patriciarothschwartz.com, as is her memoir, Soul Knows No Bars: a Writer’s Journey Doing Poetry with Inmates, about her 14 years of weekly volunteer work, facilitating a poetry workshop inside a men’s maximum security prison.

THERE ARE WASPS IN THE KITCHEN

chop garlic, basil

blend in olive oil

there are wasps in the kitchen

slice tomato, avocado

prepare salmon to broil

there are wasps in the kitchen

pull out weapons: poison spray, swatters

there are wasps in the kitchen, circling up

against the windowpanes

arrange garden flowers: black-eyed Susans,

bee balm, zinnias into tall vases

there are wasps in the kitchen,

their home in the wall inside the kitchen porch

fill their doorway with caulk that oozes

hold your breath against poison

there are wasps in the kitchen,

up against the windowpane,

on the porch

next day, feed the dog, wash blueberries,

cut up melon, spoon into china bowls 

there are wasps on the porch,

angry, swarming their blocked-off home

bring out to the table coffee and milk and bread

there are wasps on the porch, drilling new doorways

deep into the wall, re-claiming their home

afraid to go out, afraid to stay in

there are wasps in the kitchen

***

We continue to recognize the power and spirit that enables the residents of New Orleans to stay diligent in the face of another challenge that is unseen and contagious. These are some of the City's images and representations of why the world holds a continuous affection for New Orleans. 

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Stay safe.  Be well.

bill

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aaduna - an online adventure with words and images - a globally read, multi-cultural, and diverse online literary and visual arts journal established in 2010.  Visit us at www.aaduna.org where we put measurable actions to our words.

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