Dedication: Maya Angelou

Alone by Maya Angelou

Today’s devotional post is to the late, great Maya Angelou. Please read the poem “Alone” in the above link. Copyright prevents by sharing it directly. I am most grateful for Poets.org doing the work to post beautiful works of our poets.

Following is my attempt at writing to this poem. It in no way begins to touch what Ms. Angelou wrote, but by studying and writing to a poem it helps take us to another level of understanding. I invite you to try this challenge.

Inspired by Maya Angelou 1928-2014

Never Alone

Thoughtful of silence,
Living life at a snail’s pace,
Isn’t it better?
Living life alone, just one,
Could it possibly be best?

Watching the rat race,
People run hither and yon,
Breathing heavily,
Keeping pace with the latest,
Fantacizing about things.

How about catching
All the rhythyms of the rain,
Watching suns melting,
Feeling the steamy rising,
Is this better-after all?

Shadows of darkness
Comforting the fearful man,
Why does it matter?
Is he better off alone?
Does he feel the onlyness?

Fearing the sunshine
When the drink is not enough,
When shoes fall apart
As hot asphalt burns the soles,
His stomach rumbles often.

Best thing I can tell,
There’s no need to fool ourselves.
It’s not happening.
There is no way to survive
Believing we are all alone.

Take the busy man,
Spirited to run the race,
Thinks his road is high,
Sun still finds his balding head,
Rain still trickles on his face.

Silence is for breaking.
Ceilings breaking, glass released,
Life is made for each
Making it better for all.
Otherwise-we all suffer.

Taking paces back,
Influencing these hard times,
Making the changes
Needed to resolve the needs
Focusing on peaceful ends.

by Lisa Tomey