Jennifer Proxenos Poet Rhyme

To Breathe Or Not To Breathe

TO BREATHE OR NOT TO BREATHE

A nursing sister in ICU walks desperately from bed to bed,
Can you breathe my dear she fist asks Val, then Ted,
They look at her with fear of death in their eyes,
Struggling to breathe, Val says my family, tell them, but she dies!

Doctors and nurses are trying their best to save lives,
To help patients breathe as their heaving chest tries,
Ted is nearing his end, the sister holds his trembling hand,
Tell them I love them, the pain he can no longer stand!

Nursing staff round the world, bewildered, have tried hard,
This unseen enemy has intense power, it holds the jokers card,
Daily they hear people saying ‘Please help, I can’t breathe’,
Helpless, hopeless families cannot on their grave place a wreath!

Hospitals help people breathe, yet others constrict breathing,
Floyd known as a gentle giant 6’ 6” tall, had done prison confining,
For 5 years, convicted in 2009, but left all his past life behind
And worked in several places where he was always well liked.

A teenager phoned the police to say he was given a forged $20-00 note,
They arrived, forced Floyd to the ground, put a knee on his throat,
I can’t breathe he kept saying, called for his mom, for over eight minutes
They were indifferently stopping his breathing, they surpassed all limits.

Black people say they are targeted around the world, protesting, riots,
A Presidents answer was to bring out the army, he tried to quiet
The masses, but the people got angry and showed their rage
Pandora’s  box opened, a new era in History is about to stage!



NOT FOR CONTEST

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Andrea Dietrich January 30, 2021 at 10:29 AM I think there was a contest on this theme. YOu did well with it, Jennifer. One of yours I had not seen yet. Indeed Pandora's box opened last year!!!

Paul Callus July 5, 2020 at 9:55 AM You write according to how your heart dictates, Jenny...no beating round the bush. The difference between the 2 cases you mention is very striking. Abuse of power is always to be condemned. ~ warm regards & Hugs, my fiend // paul Jennifer Proxenos July 5, 2020 at 10:45 AM Hi Paul, I though everyone trying to breath to keep alive and yet one ugly person, forcing the life out of someone so they can't breathe. Thank-you Paul, you are right though about the way I write. I love your comment my friend. Warm regards and hugs, Jennifer.

M. L. Kiser June 27, 2020 at 12:02 PM Wow, powerful thoughts on this year. A very important read. Jennifer Proxenos June 30, 2020 at 12:06 PM And we are only half way through the year, what should we expect next - I hope that humanity as I mentioned to Gordon below will listen and hear how NOT to spread this virus and how NOT to be brutal and unkind and then we will all be able to breathe perfectly well. Be safe my friend blessings and hugs, Jennifer.

Gordon Mcconnell June 24, 2020 at 3:37 PM Super write Jenny, you tell it with poise and purpose. This is poignant in what's going on today, only God can sort out these problems. Blessings, Gordon Jennifer Proxenos June 30, 2020 at 12:00 PM Thank-you Gordon, you write beautiful comments - I agree with you God can sort out these problems, but not wearing masks, not self distancing, governments not acting quickly and effectively, all this reminds me of Christ's parable about the three servants and the gold - God gave us logic and more than ever people are not using it . Thank you Gordon, bless you. Jennifer.

Caren Krutsinger June 23, 2020 at 6:47 AM I like the way you have tied in so many of the travesties of the past few months into a super poem my friend. Wow! I had thought to try to do this, but now I will not have to for you have done it superbly for all of us. Jennifer Proxenos June 30, 2020 at 10:57 AM Thank-you for the compliment Caren - why not try, each one of us is unique, your poem will be told from your point of view. Blessings and hugs my friend, Jennifer.

Lindsay Laurie June 19, 2020 at 7:15 PM Hello Jennifer … the world is certainly going through turmoil as you wrote in this poem. How it will end is anybody's guess, but it won't be pretty before peace finally returns - thank you Jennifer and stay safe - Lindsay Jennifer Proxenos June 30, 2020 at 10:52 AM Thank you Lindsay, yes we have a very rough ride ahead, but we have to remain positive, not easy sometimes. Be well my friend, Blessings and hugs, Jennifer.

Kim Rodrigues June 18, 2020 at 7:37 AM Love how you tied together the pandemic and death of George Floyd. It’s 2020, the year of perfect vision and restriction. Jennifer Proxenos June 30, 2020 at 10:49 AM I'm so glad you like it Kim, we are already halfway through 2020 - who would have thought at Christmas last December that so much heartache would follow and we still have a long difficult and blind path ahead of us. Blessings and hugs, Jennifer.

Harry Horsman June 17, 2020 at 11:44 PM A poem, that needed to be written, the message is powerful. The sentiment of the poet, comes flowing through, love it. Jennifer Proxenos June 30, 2020 at 10:44 AM Hi Harry glad you loved my poem because I love yours which are deep, thought provoking and explained and written with breathtaking poetic flair. Thank-you for your support my friend. Hugs and blessings, Jennifer.

Carolyn Devonshire June 17, 2020 at 2:54 PM Jennifer, I love the way you connected the difficulty people with the virus have breathing with the recent death of Floyd, who only needed to breathe to survive. I was appalled by the way troops were called in to fire rubber bullets and tear gas at the protesters in front of the White House. We simply can't afford to endure these injustices any longer. Powerful message and well written! Hugs, Carolyn Jennifer Proxenos June 30, 2020 at 10:41 AM Thank-you Carolyn, you are a sweetheart - your comments are substantial and apt and always lovely and awesome. Blessings my friend and hugs, Jennifer.

Joseph May June 17, 2020 at 1:41 PM People all over the world are protesting this sad event, hopefully change will come, Powerful write Jennifer Jennifer Proxenos June 30, 2020 at 10:39 AM Yes the whole world is up in arms - they all want change, respect and equality - basic human rights one would think. thank-you for an awesome comment Joseph. Blessings, Jennifer.

Judy Ball June 16, 2020 at 5:49 AM WoW! Powerful Stuff! Well Done And Well Said. God Bless, JB Jennifer Proxenos June 30, 2020 at 10:36 AM Thanks Judy you are such a superstar, you answer us all - never leave us out, only special people do that. Blessings and hugs, Jennifer.

Connie Marcum Wong June 15, 2020 at 3:53 PM Jennifer this is a wonderful poem! Your last line sums up exactly what is going on right now in our world. Excellent writing my friend. Blessings xxoo Jennifer Proxenos June 30, 2020 at 10:34 AM Thank you my dear friend Connie - both issues had to do with been able to breathe - how sad! A warm comment - be well and safe. Blessings and hugs, Jennifer.

Paghunda Zahid June 15, 2020 at 1:34 PM What a poem. I wish all these problems will die one day. I wish we all will live like equals together as creation of one God. I am hopeful that sooner or later happiness will rule. That is a very nice poem. Thanks for sharing. Stay blessed Jennifer. Jennifer Proxenos June 30, 2020 at 10:31 AM Hi Paghunda a very touching and kind comment - yes it would be heavenly if we could all be one, but planet earth is divided and at war with each other constantly,what we would like is a utopia, is it possible - I pray it is. Blessings my friend, Jennifer.

Caren Krutsinger June 14, 2020 at 10:21 PM Pandora’s box. Perfectly written. Terrific job! Jennifer Proxenos June 30, 2020 at 10:27 AM Thank-you Caren - a lovely comment - Pandora's box is full of surprises. Blessings, Jennifer.

Gershon Wolf June 14, 2020 at 8:10 PM Your idea that the 'Pandora's box is open' is spot on... The only question is whether or not anything will really change meaningfully... We've seen massive protests and riots before. Nothing much changed. And then there was the 'Arab Spring' in 2011. That resulted in a visceral backlash, and the rise of brutal dictatorships. Time will tell. Thanks, Jennifer. Jennifer Proxenos June 28, 2020 at 1:24 PM I answered your comment almost as you explain it, to Tom below - time will tell Gershon, but the clock is ticking! Blessings and hugs, Jennifer.

Arturo Michael June 14, 2020 at 5:57 PM Certainly a new era is in the making...Liked the build up before coming to the breath of the write...Well done Jennifer Proxenos June 28, 2020 at 12:16 PM Hi Arturo, an awesome reply thank-you! I thought and believed this poem should have been written, the deprived and poor must know we love them the same as Christ does, no matter the color of a race, we are all brothers and sisters. My best friend at the convent in Zambia was Beatrice Mashumbulwa, a Malawian scholar. Blessings and hugs, Jennifer.

Besma Riabi Dziri June 14, 2020 at 3:17 PM Inks.. brushes.. graphite.. paintings.. all have presented the hate, violence, brutality towards human souls.. breath and life confiscated.. humanity humiliated.. still now, Humanity is crying, claiming a right to survive division and injustice.. dear Jenny, you are in a mission of Love, Peace, Light and Beauty. You have displayed what is Humanity going through in a so amazing poetry! A deep awareness and a flow of pure sentiments! So much pleased reading your great work! My warmest wishes. Hugs Jennifer Proxenos June 28, 2020 at 12:06 PM Thank you Besma, you always answer with such passion, and a real connection to the topic of the poem, and above all you answer with love - you are such a special person my friend, we all know it and I applaud you from the bottom of my heart! Be well dear soul sister and always take care. Blessings, Jennifer.

Tom Cunningham June 14, 2020 at 1:56 PM well written Jennifer, the wrongs of the past must be put right before we can move on. Tom Jennifer Proxenos June 28, 2020 at 11:59 AM Hi Tom, But their must be some kind of urgency shown on the part of governments because I don't think they believe that governments will move forward, as always empty promises. Thanks for a great comment Tom Blessings, Jennifer.

Regina Mcintosh June 14, 2020 at 1:43 PM Wow. such a wonderful write with these present times. Excellent to mark this history. Love and prayers to you and blessings too, Gina Jennifer Proxenos June 28, 2020 at 11:54 AM Thank-you Gina - a lovely comment from a lovely lady - blessings my friend, Jennifer.