Political Emotions
by ToriYah Marshall
I used to have politically correct emotions,
ones that went with the flow of emotional polls,
but it began to take a toll on my soul,
so I began to vote for myself and at first
it was a challenge,
because I couldn’t find myself on the ballot,
I had been left off and my emotions were invalidated,
not enough rallied support, not enough endorsements,
my concerns were not important enough to render mass consideration,
until I began to raise my voice,
to raise awareness of my causes, my motivations,
to create emotional space on soapbox stages,
with only heaven’s applause and standing ovations,
God’s love was my one and only motivation,
and with his vote I knew I could take precedence,
making decisions not so political yet still resonate,
keeping my emotions in check, and balancing them with good reasoning,
impeaching deceitful feelings
and leaving the ego as a lame duck,
Unable to make amendments in God’s laws,
making my life surrender to his clauses,
putting things in proper law and order.
Poem of The Week
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Sekou Black - The 2025 Poetry Is Life Book Award Winner
Each year Poetry Is Life Publishing will award one poet with the Poetry Is Life Book Award for their original poetry manuscript. The 2025 Poetry Is Life Book Award Winner is Sekou Black. More info on his book to come. I would like to thank each poet who submitted their work for consideration for this award. All of them are wonderful writers and it was an honor to read their work.
Audacity 2 Speak! by Alicia M. Hopkins
Audacity 2 Speak! is a book that shines light on the real issues within Ohio’s healthcare system, criminal justice system and the challenges people with disabilities face in America. It challenges the stigmas and stereotypes around prison reform, victims rights, disability rights, mental health, and healthcare access. This book while written in an autobiography format, shares about how social detriments of health and the red tape on multiple social service systems influences and unites communities in advocacy. It pushes people out of their comfort zone to find the audacity to speak.
Featured Poet - Joshua David Halley
Joshua David Halley is the 2024 Poetry Is Life Book Award Winner. His manuscript, Feral Thoughts, will be available for purchase on July 13, 2024. Halley says, if my words can help even one veteran see another day with some hope, I have succeeded. Stay tuned for more info.
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You've taken the time to write down your thoughts, your feelings and your experiences on paper bags, on the back of grocery receipts, on take out menus, on utility, credit card and medical bills, you've even temporarily tattooed your skin with ink so you wouldn't forget that thought, that feeling or that experience. Inspiration, like life, cannot be predicted. You have made yourself vulnerable and open to criticism,...
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