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Sharron Read-Lambert Poem
“The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.”
- Plato
In the shadows where nightmares thrive,
courage falters and struggles to survive.
Where the cries of innocence fall unheard,
and darkness engulfs without a sound.
Sex traffickers, predators invisible,
prey upon the vulnerable, a nightmare’s dream.
Still, in the face of fear we hesitate,
lacking the valor to confront their loathing.
The chains of child labor bind innocence tight,
yet we turn away from their silent cries.
For the cost of action, we shrink in alarm,
leaving the unprotected as virtue’s sacrifice.
Drugs weave their web, a plague upon our streets,
but confronting the issue we dare not speak.
In the grip of addictions’ cruel hold
we falter, losing our lifeblood day by day.
The IRS looms large, a fearsome sight,
intimidating and making the bravest yield.
Afraid to challenge, afraid to dissent,
we surrender, lacking strength to face their power.
Against cops and responders, some may protest
their authority, as the barricade draws near.
But in the face of unfairness we pause,
fearful of the consequences we may create.
Yet in the heart of darkness, a flicker radiates,
a spark of courage among the lines.
In the face of fear, true heroes rise,
to confront injustice and leave apathy behind.
Let us find the courage to stand,
hand-in-hand, against the tides of evil.
United and brave, we’ll find our might
and bring light to the darkness, and justice pursue.
Copyright © Sharron Read-Lambert | Year Posted 2024
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Sharron Read-Lambert Poem
“If someone besides a black ever sings the real gut bucket blues, it’ll be a Jew. We both know what it’s like to be someone else’s footstool.”
-Ray Charles
Author’s note: this is a companion piece to “Where Are They Now?”
Published in Out On A Limb, 2020
In the shadows lurk a venomous hate,
a darkness that festers, sealing our destiny.
Its target, the sons and daughters
of a heritage rich in history’s pages.
From ancient times to the modern era,
the prejudice persists in myriad ways.
A scapegoat for woes, a target for blame,
the Jew bears the brunt of humanity’s disgrace.
With whispers of conspiracy, lies unfurl,
a web of deceit, cruel and cold.
Stereotypes wielded like a sharpened blade,
piercing the soul, leaving hearts gored.
From pogroms to ghettos, from Holocaust’s cry,
to the present day’s thriving rhetoric.
The echoes of hatred, they still ring out,
in the air we breathe, in the ground we’ve uncovered.
Surrounded by darkness, a glimmer of
resilience and courage, shining bright.
For the Jewish spirit, it will not shatter
in the face of adversity, but will awake.
So let us stand against the trend,
with love and compassion, side by side.
For in unity, we find our power
and banish the darkness with unwavering light.
Copyright © Sharron Read-Lambert | Year Posted 2024
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Sharron Read-Lambert Poem
It starts as a tickle, a gentle tease,
a whispered secret, like a breath of wind.
Then it swells and bursts, a joyous eruption,
a chorus of mirth, unleashing ripples of glee.
It knows no boundaries, no walls, no chains.
It traverses languages, cultures, and open country.
It unites the world in a harmonious song,
where in its embrace, we all belong.
In moments of sorrow, it’s a soothing balm,
a lifeline of hope and a comforting tranquility.
It brings solace to hearts burdened with hurt,
an antidote to sadness, a tender refrain.
It lingers in memories, forever preserved
in tales of laughter, our spirits aligned.
It paints our lives with vibrant hues,
nurturing bonds and deepening ties.
So let us cherish this gift, so scarce,
this symphony of joy that we all share.
Welcome its rhythm, an effervescent grace
that lifts the spirit and brightens our days.
Let us laugh with all our might,
ignite the world and let our spirits soar.
For in its magic, we all find release,
For laughter is life’s most precious encore.
Copyright © Sharron Read-Lambert | Year Posted 2024
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Sharron Read-Lambert Poem
The rumbling, crashing, riotous falls
were like instruments intent on
singing out their percussion.
Each watery movement came in
orchestrated rhythm, appearing as
the master of the scene
yet arriving on unheard cue.
The wild and noisy disorder of the
magnificent Niagara Falls were an
ever-changing mosaic of color
that could tumble from a
box of pastels.
In the sunlight they were soft,
no matter how bright the light became,
and always just as pleasing as the
gelato that sat in our waffle cones.
We dashed for cover as the sky
turned like a woolen gray shawl
upon the rolling hills behind us.
Colors arced into a bold sky,
stretching as open hands reaching
for the sun-kissed rain.
The colors were that bit more beautiful,
like God had polished the world afresh.
And how could we begrudge
those blessed drops?
For with them came
the rainbow, the greenery,
the cheery flowers, renewed vigor and
every other slice of life we so enjoy.
Copyright © Sharron Read-Lambert | Year Posted 2024
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Sharron Read-Lambert Poem
In twilight’s grasp a love once bright,
now tangled in a fading light.
A cherished soul, a memory’s dance,
embraced by time’s relentless trance.
In wandering paths, they roam,
a journey through the mist unknown.
A mind adrift on waves unseen,
yet in their heart, love’s flame still gleams.
The moments shared now echoes past,
a fleeting smile, a love that lasts.
Though memories may slip away,
their essence lingers day by day.
In moments when confusion reigns,
And words are lost in flight,
I’ll hold your hand through all the pains,
And be your beacon light.
Through laughter, tears, and tender care,
we’ll hold them close, their burdens bear.
For in the shadows, we will find,
a love that’s boundless, intertwined.
In the depths of eyes once bright and clear,
flickers of recognition may appear.
A smile that graces like a gentle breeze,
though the storm of forgetfulness may seize.
With tender touch and patience, we embrace
the fragments of their essence, a sacred space.
Each day an adventure, a new journey’s start
as we traverse the labyrinth of the heart.
Though the past may fade, love’s flame will glow,
its embers eternal, steadfast, and slow.
For in this dance of shadows and light,
our bond remains unbroken, day or night.
Through laughter, tears, and moments bittersweet,
we find solace in the love that cannot deplete.
In every tender touch and whispered word,
we find the essence of the one we have heard.
In the twilight of memories, they reside,
a soul once vibrant, now veiled and tied.
Yet we will stand by their side, forever near,
for love transcends the bounds of what we hear.
So, let us treasure each fleeting day,
embrace the fragments in twilight’s grasp.
For in this journey, together we will be,
a beacon of love for all eternity.
Copyright © Sharron Read-Lambert | Year Posted 2024
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Sharron Read-Lambert Poem
In the golden savannah, where wild creatures roam,
there danced a giraffe and rhino, a sight to behold.
With grace and power, they moved to the beat,
two unlikely spirits, their rhythmic steps entwined.
The giraffe, with elegance, stretched her neck high,
her spots like constellations, reaching for the heavens.
Beside her, the rhino’s massive form swayed,
his horn pointed proudly, a symbol of his might.
They frolicked, defying nature’s divide,
an unconventional pair, their souls met.
Together, a giraffe and rhino,
their differences embraced, a harmony untold.
With each graceful step and every thunderous stomp,
they painted a picture, a dance floor in the meadows.
Their movements whispered a tale of unity,
where diversity and love danced in perfect harmony.
In the gleaming sunset, they danced until the darkness,
giraffe and rhino, a duet shining bright.
Their dance became a legend, whispered through the evergreen,
of a bond unbreakable, forged by the gentle breeze.
Copyright © Sharron Read-Lambert | Year Posted 2024
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Sharron Read-Lambert Poem
Light switched on our world
bringing both energy and vision,
igniting rich colors with great variation.
It flowed from the sun, that star that rose
each day to give with ever onward generosity.
I loved the dayshine.
I loved the brightness and the warmth
in the long summer days.
I loved the way it made the world shine so freshly
in the snow-bequeathed days of winter.
Yet, why are the things we need the most
the first we don’t honor,
or see how with our souls the gratitude remains?
For when you love the simple joys
the heart feels full and secure.
The hungry ghost within is satisfied
and allows serenity to enter.
Copyright © Sharron Read-Lambert | Year Posted 2024
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Sharron Read-Lambert Poem
Light upon the skin is a joy.
Light upon the flower is a work of art.
Light through the rain brings the
arching colors of a rainbow.
Light brings energy, more in a single
drop than we can easily fathom.
Light brings the plants to life,
its warmth and energy giving the
essential ingredient
for all that we hold sacred.
Perhaps it is our holy grail,
not a cup but that which feeds us all,
that fills every cup and bowl.
Copyright © Sharron Read-Lambert | Year Posted 2024
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Sharron Read-Lambert Poem
Two mothers who never met were connected by tragedy, murder and death.
They gave birth to two different offspring that in one moment would alter both women’s lives.
Violet did her best to raise James in a gang infested neighborhood.
Lettice was a wild spirit living on the edge and highly misunderstood.
Violet worked two jobs while Lettice worked her mouth for a living.
Fast talking Lettice gave birth to Cosmo, who supported his mother by drug dealing.
“Stay away from the streets” said Violet. “Education will one day be your way out, son.”
She didn’t know he would be leaving sooner--the day he encountered Cosmo holding a gun.
James refused to go down without a fight, before collapsing from bullet wounds.
Soon Cosmo was arrested and later escorted inside a crowded courtroom.
In court Violet lashed out, but Lettice quickly lashed back at the distraught lady.
“It’s your dead son’s fault,” screamed Lettice. “So don’t blame this on my baby!”
Cosmo was sentenced to 20 years as Lettice broke down, consumed by pain and hurt.
Violet shook her head and said, “How can she cry like that when mine is in the dirt?”
“A mother’s pain times two equals two losses and no wins,” cried Violet.
“Losing a child is something I don’t wish on anyone, not even you!”
Shoulders slumped, Lettice looked at Violet, gritted her teeth, and screamed, “Is that all?”
Two grieving mothers, but while Lettice has 20 years, Violet will have a lifetime of tears to fall.
Lettice didn’t care abut Violet’s pain. Her only concern was her child and nothing else.
Until she received a call from prison a few months later. “Sorry to inform you, ma’am, but your son hung himself.”
With tears in her eyes from hearing what no parent wants to hear, she thought of Violet and dropped the phone.
It’s truly a shame when no one cares about another person’s pain until that pain is made their own.
Copyright © Sharron Read-Lambert | Year Posted 2025
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Sharron Read-Lambert Poem
We belong to other people,
In their photographs,
In their memories,
And in their hearts,
Because sometimes that is all we have.
The idea of wanting
To belong to someone,
To someone who tells us that they
Need us just as much as we need
Them—that is what the
Meaning of life should be.
To feel loved and to give it
Back and nothing else, because
Everything else does not matter.
Everything else is just a map,
And that map might lead us to a hole
Filled with quiet deserts
And empty spaces.
Copyright © Sharron Read-Lambert | Year Posted 2025
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