Joel Hawksley Poet Rhyme

Notes About The Poem

"Empathy's Eruption" was written during a time of growing division in the United States, a division that continues to deepen today. As someone with a background in political public relations, I witnessed firsthand the escalating conflict and the widening chasm between opposing viewpoints. I became increasingly concerned about the lack of understanding and the prevalence of hostility in our public discourse.

This poem is a call for empathy, a plea to bridge the divides that separate us. It's a reflection on the importance of recognizing the humanity in those we disagree with, and the need to engage in meaningful conversations rather than resorting to shouting matches.

I believe that even in the face of deep disagreements, we can find common ground and build bridges of understanding. We don't have to agree on everything, but we must be willing to listen and to see the world from another's perspective. "Empathy's Eruption" is a hope that we can rise above our differences and create a more united and compassionate society. I hope you see America in this poem, and the potential we have to come together.

Listen to poem:

Empathy's Eruption

We stand on foothills, gazing at the peak,  
A world divided, a chasm vast and bleak.  
Our mountains of indifference, a jagged, stony chain,  
While empathy's volcano simmers, but struggles to contain. 

Towers of suspicion pierce the clouded sky,  
Casting long shadows where bridges ought to lie.  
The stairs of progress, worn with every fight,  
Lead us ever upwards, toward a fairer light. 

But ladders built of bias, precarious and thin,  
Leave many stranded, where trust can't begin.  
The Alps of prejudice, a formidable wall,  
Echo with the cries of those who yearn to crawl. 

We've reached a plateau, a place to pause and see,  
The distance yet to climb, for all humanity.  
These fractured buildings, monuments of strife,  
Crumble and decay, devoid of a purposeful life. 

So let us rise above, this discordant land,  
Join hands and hearts, a united, climbing band.  
Let empathy erupt, a fierce and cleansing fire,  
Melting walls of difference, with its passionate desire. 

With every step, with every toppled stone,  
We bridge the chasms, where we once stood alone.  
For only on the summit, bathed in sunlight's grace,  
Can we truly see the world, a more united space.

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