General Poetry posted November 24, 2019

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An influential book - The Prophet.

When Small Becomes Huge

by LisaMay

How do we decide value?

What is considered a prize?

My measure is memories; the currency is love.

One of my dearest possessions did not cost me a cent.

It is small, but became hugely important.

I won it as a prize for doing something I loved;

now – prized – it sits gathering dust.

I know it is there. Sometimes that is enough.

I hold it in my heart, and my memories are fresh.

It is a connection that links my nature, my nurture,

my art and soul, to my youth, my era, my spiritual stirrings,

and to my father, his wisdom, his empathy, and his humour.

It was 1969.

My mother died.

I was fifteen.

I was forlorn.

Art and reading are good friends to the downhearted.

I had ability in art and won a prize at school – a book voucher.

Dad was good at knowing what I might like,

but better than liking, he understood what I might need.

We went together to choose a book.

Dad had the knack of steering and suggesting,

being the rudder.

I went home with The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran.

I credit that little book, now dog-eared

and marked with underlined phrases,

as a key influence –

part of my moral code and philosophy of life.

My teenage idealism

– so raw –

and my hopes for harmony,

were touched, translated, transformed.

The inspirational fables, poetry in emotion,

were polished to kernels of truth and beauty.

The book sang to my heart and spoke to my yearnings.

Dad said,

“This is how you can remember that author’s name –

just think of Kellog All-Bran.”

Funny, yet so appropriate:

Kahlil Gibran’s book provided nourishment

and helped me digest ideas.

What a priceless prize.

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Free Verse writing prompt entry

Writing Prompt
Write a free verse poem about a prized object of any kind. No rhyming patterns.

Author's Note:
(Information from Internet book reviews and biography.)

1. Kahlil Gibran's masterpiece, The Prophet, is one of the most beloved classics of our time. It was published in 1923 and has remained influential ever since.
The book, a collection of poetic essays that are philosophical, spiritual, and inspirational, is divided into twenty-eight chapters covering such topics as love, marriage, children, giving, eating and drinking, work, joy and sorrow, housing, clothes, buying and selling, crime and punishment, laws, freedom, reason and passion, pain, self-knowledge, teaching, friendship, talking, time, good and evil, prayer, pleasure, beauty, religion, and death. Each essay reveals deep insights into the impulses of the human heart and mind.
The Prophet's inspirational messages draw on the lives of many spiritual leaders and the religions and philosophies of many cultures, uniquely combining them with powerful images and memorable phrases by paring down complicated philosophical ideas to their basics, emphasising the importance of human conduct and connections.
The core message of unity and oneness holds a great appeal to most readers. Insisting that human beings are not only in harmony with nature but fully capable of understanding its mysteries, Gibran promotes self-esteem and confidence that the readers have both positive motivations and the capability of improving the world.

2. Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931) was a Lebanese-American writer, poet, visual artist, also considered a philosopher. His prodigious body of work - translated into many languages with his books selling millions of copies - has been described as an artistic legacy to people of all nations.

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An influential book - The Prophet.

When Small Becomes Huge

by LisaMay

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