Marilene Evans Poet Free verse

Journey

JOURNEY

I’m approaching seventy next month,
I can say my life journey is not an easy one. 
However, I can declare that I did not astray
doing destructive behaviors to keep on going.

I pretty much stayed grounded, principled;
but with some kind of rebelliousness and
hard headedness that did not affect others,
except yours truly having hard circumstances.

With my life’s difficulties also came blessings.
I am blessed with life for I was a blue baby,
not breathing when I was born at home with
no incubator; but an intellectual midwife.

She recommended that I breathe the steam of
eucalyptus leaves continuously for thirty days.
I did survive, although given by my mother
without my father’s knowledge to her sister.

Not only did she give me, she was indifferent
to me that made me questioned life, love, 
family and discerned in early age, life is unfair.
Yet, I was blessed with my aunt’s true love.

Too many adversities I had to go through in my
married life, an early marriage ending abruptly
with an abusive husband and another marriage
for many years that ended because of alcoholism.

Becoming a single parent and supporting my
children on my own and running the household.
I do consider myself a blessed woman and very
grateful having my children and raising them.

I was discriminated at work for being a woman,
my race and having English as my second language.
I was blessed with tenacity, perseverance and
intelligence to develop skills and gain knowledge.

I had struggled many times in my life journey
and I found when I resist, the harder the struggle
and when I accept, the calmer life gets and the
more appreciative I become and see my blessings.


9/11/21   "J" Contest, New of Old Poetry
               Constance La France

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Constance La France September 15, 2021 at 6:21 AM Marilene, excellent writing and congratulations on your win in my "I" contest with this beautiful poem, well done ~ love and serenity _Constance Marilene Evans September 15, 2021 at 8:36 AM Thanks so much, Constance. I appreciate my placement and your compliments. Have a Blessed day.

Heidi Sands September 14, 2021 at 9:49 AM Excellent. You sound like a very strong person and filled with gratitude too. :) Marilene Evans September 14, 2021 at 11:04 AM Thanks so much, Heidi. Have a great day.

Alexis Y. September 13, 2021 at 6:14 AM I have WoW! Marilene, I agree with Kim, this is an insightful read. I see you have been through adversities and struggles along life’s journey. One’s struggles makes them stronger. Through your poems and soup mails and comments , I see that you are an amazing lady. Congratulations on your winning win. It was well deserved. Have a wonderful day:-) Alexis Marilene Evans September 13, 2021 at 8:09 AM You are making me blushed. Thank you. All I know is I survived and now is the time of my life to put my attention and time on me for a change. So I'm celebrating my BIG 70 with a BANG, courtesy of my loving daughter who wanted to surprise me.

Kim Rodrigues September 13, 2021 at 3:44 AM An insightful read, Marilene. Struggles can make us stronger, though at the time we can’t see the end (the forest through the trees). God bless you always! Congratulations! Marilene Evans September 13, 2021 at 8:04 AM Thank you, Kim. They are part of life that can break somebody or make somebody stronger. Mysteries of life. I like the forest through the trees cause there were many times I thought I would not see the end; but His light shone through and showed the way.

Beata Agustin September 13, 2021 at 12:22 AM Congrats! Thanks for sharing this life journey of yours, expressed in your awesome poetic style. I rejoice with you for your blessings, and may I greet you "A joyous birthday in advance." God bless you. Marilene Evans September 13, 2021 at 7:52 AM Thanks Beata. It is also a blessing for me to share my birthday with John Lennon, a very talented musician and artist.

Unseeking Seeker September 12, 2021 at 11:32 PM Deep wisdom in the concluding stanza, offering no anchor for rancour! Congrats on your win Marilene Evans September 12, 2021 at 11:45 PM Thanks so much. I don't really understand how can someone live in bitterness and carry heaviness, when being grateful and letting go are more powerful.

Rico Leffanta September 12, 2021 at 11:38 AM You discovered young enough that the bamboo which bends is stronger than the oak which resists; if only your children could appreciate that! Marilene Evans September 12, 2021 at 12:57 PM Hello Rico! Thank you, I can truly say, my loving daughter do and the others in their unique ways for not all children are the same... although you try your very best to be fair with each of them. Parenting is an ongoing process.... Plus I was surrounded with bamboos when I was in the Philippines, so I got used to bending when the storms came..... LOL.... I told my children, you bend like a bamboo when the struggles hit you, so you do not break.

Rama Balasubramanian September 11, 2021 at 11:33 PM Hard life, you are a strong woman. Proud of you. Very inspiring. Many give up, but you stood strong and continued against odds. Miraculous was your survivial. How can anybody not breathing survive. Last para worth practicing by all. Even I realised the same. Marilene Evans September 12, 2021 at 8:28 AM Thanks so much, Rama. I was not breathing so the midwife cleaned me up and wrapped me to get me out of the house for it was bad luck to have a lifeless baby inside. She had to go through a very narrow back door and she bumped her elbow real hard and I cried. She took me back in.