Given the state of the world we are living in
for today’s blessing I return the words of author L. R Knost:
It’s not our job to toughen our children up
to face a world that is heartless and cruel…
It’s our job to raise children
who will make the world a little less heartless and cruel.
The Second To The Last Straw
Just Forgiving One More Time,
This Isn’t A Super-Wide Camel's
Back With A Minor Tolerance In Mind.
The Conditions For Unconditional
Can Quickly Toughen Love To Scars.
There Maybe Something Out Of
Place I Can Rearrange…
Ummm,
Depending
How
You Really
Are.
Nope.
Whatever.
Closed.
Sorry.
-Gray Squirrel
07-27-2025
Today I’m grateful to revisit the words of L. R. Knost…
She wrote:
It’s not our job to toughen our children up
to face a world that is heartless and cruel…
It is our job to raise children,
who will make the world a little less heartless and cruel.
Timid Tom had a typical token,
a tiny teddybear,
a tasty taco,
a tattered tophat
Tom had his things taken by taunting Tess
, but Tom toughen
So he told the tall teacher
Now he is no longer timid Tom
Who am l kidding
It means nothing at all
Just another pile of bullsh*t
Into l fall
Am l so gullible
Thinking the best
To be disappointed, disillusioned
My heart put to the test
Toughen this soft heart
Stay away ,withdraw
Stop being naive
Nail shut my hearts door
Should l suspect the worst
Protect myself
Have no expectations
Put my heart away on a shelf
nobody sees you the way I do
in your wheelchair
with your unopenable arms
where everything crashes to a gray twisted landscape
my brother
alpha male
of demon strut clashes
in our shared childhood
once you flipped your hockey stick between my thin legs
to see how many stairs I'd tumble down
your yells to me to "toughen up"
cursing a younger brother
"bookworm sissy"
"vanilla boy"
to expletives that ran like tap water
when proximity was a contact sport
at the care home
to your lips
I spoon in pudding
its dull tranquility
vanilla
into a body that feels itself liquid, limbs pliable and porous
I'd like to re-touch our brotherly photos
to change them to accuracy
or crumple them like a wasp nest knocked to the ground
for nobody sees you the way I do
for nobody knows you the way I do
I’m not much of an ogre he thought
As a chipmunk nibbled his twisted toe nail.
Nope, I like my fur fluffed and clean
And my nails…well, not painted
But neatly buffed and filed.
Damn! I hate meat. It like
Forever sticks in my teeth.
I think I’m a reincarnated vegan.
Toughen up kid!!
Grab that ogre vibe
Dinner will be anything
We can catch alive.
(worst hunting mantra ever)
An old owl shook its head
Asked its forever question:
”Who?.. are you?”
He drives me nuts
Every day
Same old question. Until…
That one day he said
“Who do you want to be?”
I confusedly answered:
“I am not sure.”
“Then go and find out”
He hooted
As silent wings
Took flight.
©3/24/2024
Writing Challenge – “O” Words Poetry Contest
Constance La France – Sponsor
Get drunk oh bottle
dance through the market Square
Covering your shame with linens of lies
a repulse and comic act
While easing into the saucer
Get drunk oh bottle
beat ember of tired flames
igniting the lost lot
forging the the obsidian ring
With time no longer finite
Get drunk oh bottle
gather your clay
mould your way
through life pottery
It will neither roughen
nor toughen
enjoy your created path
For only in a day's dream
do men's folly come through
What if God said
“I cannot love you all.”
“you will have to toughen up,
look after each other,
love one another.”
“What!!! How can I love
as He?”
“Oh, God”, said God,
“have you learned nothing”
“are you still consumed
by looks, and feelings,
by crusted credos?”
“But I do not understand
their words, their moods,
their beliefs?”
“Nor do they, yours”
“For you are they
and they are you.”
“Would you shun the hungry child?”
“Leave bare the naked babe?”
“Lock your heart to its presence?”
What if God said:
“I cannot love you all
why can’t you all love
one another?”
John G. Lawless
©12/10/2022
Sir Tom aka Marmite Man
It’s obvious you are the people’s choice
“But do not” rest on your laurels
As I too have a voice!!
I’ve noticed when addressing the people
There’s a recurring whinge of …“Deb broke the treaty”
You need to toughen up Marmite Man
Stop behaving like a precious sweetie!
You write such powerful words
Though empty words is all they are
Where were you when I challenged you?
Hiding in your Marmite jar!!
Truth lies within us all
Tarnished by our egos,
Taunting evil voices
Trusting bad decisions,
Toughen, bruised and shattered
Transgressions repeated
Trapped, a vicious cycle
They hit shores like never before
Wonder what they were thinking about
To feel so sore
Why were they so rough
Was it time to toughen up
Sand and pebbles on my feet
With grumpy waves beneath my feet
What’s the matter with you
Are you being pretentious
Or something you feel so deep
Lighten up my friend
You are so sweet
Grandma : Hello. Is it you sunny, speak up I can't hear you
Grandson: Yes nanna its me. I am calling you from my car
Grandma: You are talking and driving, how is that possible
Grandson: I am using blue tooth nanna, so its ok,
Grandma: You're eating, driving and you have a blue tooth
(young people today, never heard of a dentist I tell ya !)
Grandson: I'm working on my book nanna, hired a ghost writer
(Dear God, he talks to ghosts like his late Uncle Georgio)
Grandma: You know your Uncle used to talk to fruit and now, you!
Grandson: No nanna I don't talk to fruit, he's my side kick
Grandma: Gian Carlo, when are you gonna toughen up
(he gets kicked in the ass by a ghost, shame shame )
Grandson : nanna I found him on twitter and he's not a hitter
Grandma: he chirps like a bird, so when are you coming
Grandson: look out your window nanna, I'm here
Grandma: Oh My is that really you Sunny, did you fly here?
Grandson: yes nanna I a here and I'm not a hologram,
Grandma: what ? ham ? I didn't make ham I made meatballs !
(wish he'd shut off that dam machine and just come in. )
The End.
Feb 19, 2021
With just a dream, and no God, I
endure: and toughen the weary mind;
though women, children, and the old cry,
I leave my tears (and fears) behind,
march forward, advance, and defy,
until I've won what I couldn't find.
I, an untamed soul void of hope,
seek paradise from death and strife;
and valiantly battle to cope
and succeed (fighting for a life,
that's better than the endless scope
of fleeing the blade of death's sharp scythe).
It'd be far easy to simply die,
than to flourish, fly!?—and so thrive,
the gift of soaring so, so high.
Therefore, I engineer (contrive!)
than let salvation just pass me by
without a strong chance to survive.
Pretty will give you what you need almost before you need it.
She will not enable you, she will encourage you and nurture you.
Nudging you toward what your heart wants, allowing you choices.
Pretty will role model the right way to treat other people and you will see.
She likes everybody, putting herself openly into their path, like a lamb or puppy.
She will listen. Not just pretend, but truly listen to your thoughts and feelings.
You will trust Pretty even if you trust no one else, including your own parents.
You will want to help her build a wall, because she is too tender hearted.
Because she cries when others are hurt, or disappointed.
You will want to help Pretty toughen up, but then you realize it is the wrong thing.
She is the epitome of the ultimate care giver. She is the mama of everybody.
If you change her, she could not be her, and you need her. You really do.
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