The Battered Woman
It is not the first time
that you land in a hospital
Here silently you lie down
with the blue marks on your
face, your arms and legs.
This time you are staying
for some more days and weeks
You have broken your feet.
It is not the first time
That you come here
And you call for help
from the monster you live with
who when drunk, beats you
like a horrible beast.
You have called for police
He has been put in prison
for a number of days
to pay for the price
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poem by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen
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A Psalm of Hope
When the world beats
the rhythms of joy and sorrow,
when our hearts keep the hope
to light the dark shadows,
when our hands touch the strings
for our common song,
then I know there is a way to go:
a way to peace
a way to hope
a way to light.
When a child is caressed
by love and kindness
and a stranger is welcomed
by our hands of faith,
when each moment bears
the seed of a bright new day,
then I know there`s a dream
to find and rebuild:
a dream for peace
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poem by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen
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The Boxing Match
Two contenders on the ring
jumping, hitting and smashing each other
with gloves on, they fight like
the modern jaguars with the target of money
and the grand title the ring can offer.
As they punch each other
with the sole goal of winning,
they cease to look at each other
in the eye as friends in the lonely jungle
but as enemies in the fight over
who is weaker and who has more the power.
Never mind the blood that spills over!
Never mind the fall of the other contender!
The watching crowd shares
the nature of the tigers,
they, too, growl and cheer
when the other is knocked down.
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poem by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen
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Brother Roger of Taize
A humble and fragile man
with a great heart
for respect, love and dialogue
among peoples of all nations.
With a call in your heart
you establish a community
of peace in Taize' -
a taste of God's kingdom on earth.
Yet you died a cruel death
never invoking revenge and hate
And even if your innocent blood
was oozing out of your breath
your brothers and ambassadors
of peace continued to sing the
Songs of Taize.
Brother Roger, thanks
for leaving us all
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poem by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen
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The Nightmare of Man
Man works throughout life
from childhood to adulthood.
He builds his place in heaven
sitting leap years in classrooms
harvesting diplomas for his career,
saying the best words of himself
as investment for job applications.
He daily climbs up the ladder as goal
He is obsessed of success and ambition.
From a house to land, bank savings
or loans, he continues to strive on.
But at a wink of an eye, all that he
has struggled for, all that he collects
to own, are lost and gone irrepairable.
For sure enough, the flames of fire
eat up all what he has acquired
within his years and decades in life.
Typhoon, tsunami, flood and cyclone
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poem by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen
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Gloria, Excelsis Deo (Acrostic)
Give heed to the sounds between earth and sky!
Let this sound reach the heart of all humans!
Others will reject this; others will openly receive
Resounding trumpet of our Creator
who dwells in our midst-
Incarnation, mysterious dwelling in human flesh!
Alleluias, the angels raise
their mighty voices of praise!
Earth moves under my feet as heaven is reached
Xenophobia runs away and hides in the grave
Carols and hymns sing the glorious message
Lovers renew their vows; enemies reconcile.
Salutations to the most High!
Incandescent lamps replaced by stars in the night
Sages prophesize the birth of a Child.
Dance with the shepherds and the trumpet of the angels!
Exclaim and proclaim that God is Emmanuel!
Overflowing grace from heaven above comes down!
poem by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen
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Language from Womb to Tomb
It is heard from mother's womb,
taught and learned through the days
and years; repeated, remembered,
quoted, mimicked, twisted,
spoken to bless and to curse.
It is to make one
come across the border lines
It is to feel a part of the whole
It is to understand and be understood.
It is seed that grows through the years
It is a pen that records the scars and stars
It is present in the years of our life
the years lost and gone
and the years to come.
It is language
from mother's womb
to our own tomb
It is language of jubilation,
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poem by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen
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We Cry for Food and They Give Us Bullets
Food! Food! Food!
It is all that we need
It is all that we need
to calm down our spirits!
It is food that fills
that fills the empty pangs
of our stomachs,
pangs that make us yawn
but cannot sleep
that make us gulp
but cannot vomit,
that make our saliva
taste sour and acidic!
We cry for food
like the helpless little children
with the art to attract attention
by our street demonstrations.
Yes, we cry for food like little children
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poem by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen
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Landmines and Amputees
From Angola to Cambodia
from Mozambique to Bosnia
from Afghanistan to Iraq and Iran
from Egypt, Kuwait to Somalia,
we are the amputees, the living witness,
to the ghosts of war.
Why are landmines
planted in the soil of our existence -
in our farms, in our parks,
in our forests and playgrounds,
in all the sacred corners
of our lives?
Why are they planted
to betray our freedom
to take away our trust
in the soil of our existence
to steal away our innocense
and laughter and
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poem by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen
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Three Kings and the Star of Hope
Three wise men of nowhere
Without medals and kingdoms to claim
From the East they marched forward
To find the child beneath the shining star.
Three wise men in their glorious attire
Journeyed long to find the shining star
Stopped by the soldiers of Herod`s iron hand
Ordered to tell where the child could be found.
Three wise men of hope without certain ground
Only guided by the shining star in their mind
Continued to journey to find the child
And met the shepherds who in their search came by.
Three wise men led by the shining star
Reached the stable to find the child
They offered their gifts- gold, frankincense and
myrrh to a child, cradled by voices of angels.
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poem by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen
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