Best Self Reliance Poems
dodoitsu series (rhymed)
Winter is taking the reins
speeding past days of autumn -
Jack Frost smears the windowpanes
forefingers and thumb.
You who have no house to own,
too proud to seek charity,
you choose your path all alone
that’s a guarantee.
Your attic room, where risks run
rowdy as the eastern winds,
barren refuge while you shun
warmer help from friends.
Churches serve a daily meal
without impugning censure,
Would a shelter prove to shield
Christian adventure?
God casts no smears. You must know
you are short more than your needs.
God produces once you show
you will plant His seeds.
Twixt four fingers and your thumb
winnow pangs of laziness.
Earn warm lodging ere autumn’s
freeze spawns haziness.
for Elly Wouterse's contest 3 Proverbs and a Quote
For my series of didactic "germane" dodoitsu, I chose three German proverbs, being influenced much in my life by my German grandmother.
-A poor person isn't he who has little, but he who needs a lot.
--Charity sees the need not the cause.
---God gives, but man must open his hand.
My quote from an international celebrity is from German poet, Rainer Maria Rilke -
“Whoever has no house now, will never have one. Whoever is alone will stay alone,” is from his poem, “Autumn Day”, translated by Stephen Mitchell.
https://audiopoetry.wordpress.com/category/poet/rainer-maria-rilke/
For word play:
“the four fingers and your thumb”, and “winnow pangs” of verse 5(6) play off of
“Jack Frost’s forefingers and thumb” and "window panes" of verse 1.
Word with two meanings:
Verse 1 – smear – v. to wipe or daub
Verse 4 (5) – smear – n. a slur or insult
double meaning proverb
A poor person isn't he who has little, but he who needs a lot.
poor person can mean poverty-stricken or a
poor person can be incompetent, inept
I used the normal 7, 7, 7, 5 syllable pattern of a dodoitsu but rhymed it ABAB. I really needed 24 lines to complete my thoughts, but I dutifully cut it back to 20 lines, adding it back in italics after contest was judged. Expanding on Rilke’s “Autumn Day” title, I took a different turn from his prayerful, more positive piece.
Let’s be self-reliant much
So none can con one such
Let’s keep sharpening saw
Never mind if it’s an extra
Let’s sell brain and brawn bro
Only to the highest bidder lo..!
Dependence makes one low
Much loss never before so
Folks take one for granted
As if one is never wanted
The life becomes aimless
Slavery thus overwhelms
Harassment and humiliation
Embarrassment, frustration
Before life lacks purpose I say
Be self-reliant come what may..!!
SELF RELIANCE
Let the tall man be not too proud
Of himself but let him consider the short man also who is in the same street like a nylon
Going up To get something from the sky
Let the short man be not glad because
We all need each Other to Survive
But sometimes,
Learn To do things on your own
Don't rely on others for help
Learnto. Wash your clothes
Not expecting your mother or househelp
To do it for you day and night
For they may travel someday
Learn to store your mind
with treasure of the phoenix
Learn to equip. Your heart with love and knowledge and there you are on a ladder
To great height.
The old man has a breeding pair of emus now,
to go with the pig, the chickens and the ducks,
three sheep, a goat (all edible), a dairy cow,
a livestock trailer and two rusty pickup trucks.
Quite the country gentleman, since he’s left
the city’s worries far behind. Two big hounds
on chains protect his property from theft.
He’s got a six-foot fence around the grounds.
He talks of self-reliance, and he’s got a gun,
a hatchet, and a boning knife. The emus will
hatch baby emus, and be eaten; and the sheep,
the pig, each to its fated purpose under Sun.
It’s simply home economy, not sport, to kill.
He’ll clear the table and go upstairs to sleep.
Freedom comes from within
You can beat me, whip me, slash me, splash me
but I am still free
to think what I want about you
to plot your demise
to write your transgressions down in my soul's center
Freedom comes from within
I can be in the most boring of boring of boring math classes,
not paying a bit of attention, but looking raptly attentive,
to fool the teacher, as I create my next poem, or my next painting
Freedom comes from within.
You can smack me and smash me,
You can stick a gun in my face.
I am free to worry about what comes next,
or think about my children and how much they will miss me.
Freedom comes from within.
Survivors know this
better than most
and
always
Never to get favor
By disgracing other
It's like climbing mountain
As someone pushing you up
The winning has value
When having the self effort
Is done not in disdain but privy
Victory that is worthy is happiness.
Never boasted
Always looking
Up to thy creator
His power
Self reliance
Believing he can do anything humanly possible.
Never chased clout
Steady Self reliance
Believing in hard work
Consistence in all he does
Some people's love
Comes with intentions
So; he's steadily relying on self
Without pretence or defence
No alliance
Just self reliance
Only God his supplier or helper.