My second April “Poem A Day,” which I am posting at Writer’s Island as well as here. Check out more poets at the Island and at Poetic Asides, which offers a prompt a day as well. Sitting in a cafe, trying to balance our checkbook (and only off by a couple thousand dollars right now…), this came to me. And thus, the clicking on the keys stopped and the lovely, organic scritch-scratch of pencil on paper began… Amy
The Revolving Balance
Balancing finances, fell off wire
Landed in mesh, entwined in string
as random numbers bounced about the calculator
Makes no sense, these dollars
Balancing meds, try not to trip
by “missing” highs and skipping dosages
or using other yummies to alter mood
My hold on the pole determines my dynamics
Balancing “mad at government” with happy home
Guilt over our plenty, while others starve
Well, radiation got to the Midwest – we’re sharing that a bit
It snowed yesterday. He said, “Look, honey, nuclear winter.”
I have to laugh at depressing thoughts to keep my balance
despite the fact the Gilbert Gottfried tweets tastelessly
despite our struggle to bolster union and human rights
despite Japan, Katrina, the Gulf, the war, and rumors of more
Balance is a gift from God bestowed through vessels:
Doctors, friends, therapists
my church family, my FAMILY family,
and by patience in the process of breathing… of being
© 2010 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
Sharp Little Pencil 
Old Egg
This will strike home to many a reader as the world invades our comfort zone. We feel so powerless despite our strength of mind which falters with every new disaster and interference with the life we map out for ourselves. A truly telling poem of our times.
Sharp Little Pencil
I had thought this extremely personal, yet it seems to ring true for lots of people – perhaps not the specifics, but the general gist. Once in a while, we surprise ourselves, don’t we, Robin? Amy
Ron.
Anything that yearns for, achieves or (for that matter) evens hints at the possibility of finding / attaining balance is pretty high up on my approval scale.
(ps: Leslie Gore indeed. good catch.)
Sharp Little Pencil
HA! And her brother wrote the music for “Fame”!
Thanks for your comment, Ron. Or I should say, Ron.. Amy
Kim Nelson
Amy,
Balance is one of the three main lessons I know I was intended to learn in this life. The other two are patience and releasing/resisting judgment. Challenges all. You’ve clearly worked the process, and poetically shared your journey. Nicely done.
Sharp Little Pencil
Kim, I noticed your poem today (Day 12 – I’m behind on comments, and dreadfully so) is about evolution and the journey as well. Lots of great journeys coming alive this April! Thanks, Amy
Laurie Kolp
So true, Amy… finding balance can be tricky. I really like the last stanza!
Sherry Blue Sky
This is so wonderful, Amy. I so know the feeling of trying to juggle it all, finances, difficulty, the suffering of millions, and the bottom-line glory of being alive at all on this planet. Love this poem! One of my faves of yours.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Sherry. Makes keeping the balance worthwhile to hear this from you! Amy
pamela
You have said so many truths here, Amy, just trying to stay optimistic during these times is an accomplishment.
Peace to you darling 🙂
Pamela
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Pamela. Balancing is a tightrope or sometimes a wide avenue filled with temptations. Thank God I’ve found my own personal balance! amy
andy sewina
Phew, I can see the struggle to keep the balance here! Loads gone into this, and I guess it works on different levels too!
Happy Napowrimo!
Sharp Little Pencil
Happy NaPoWriMo to you, too, Andy!
Yep, takes a lot of work to keep myself on track. I cannot work a day job, but I’m not on disability – so I devote my time to poetry, music, and my family life with Lex and with LA-based daughter Riley.
Sharp Little Pencil
Yeah, a struggle, but in its own way, a blessing. I have walked miles in alternative shoes; helps me to understand the viewpoint many look past. Thanks, Andy! Amy
Debbie
Boy , I needed this one today, Amy. Got out of balance and fell. Splat. So thankful for those vessels that are there to help! And for such truth sunk deep into poems that you send us!
vivinfrance
Balance – a vital ingredient of life. May you never lose your pencil sharpener.
Sharp Little Pencil
May I never lose my pencil, either, which happens more often than not! Hee hee
wayne
sharply done indeed….thanks for this
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks so much, Wayne.
Mary
Nice work, Amy. Glad you too are doing NaPoWriMo. Balance in life, ikn all things, is crucial!
Sharp Little Pencil
And balance is so elusive at times, isn’t it? A struggle for some more than others, and I consider myself quite fortunate! Glad you are on NPWM, too. Naive, Poor Wrinkled Mother!!!
zouxzoux
Ah, life is messy, isn’t it? A very smart piece.
Sharp Little Pencil
Yes, ma’am, it is at that! Thanks for the compliment!
Mr. Walker
A well-structured, well-stated exploration of balance. I like the different takes in each of the stanzas, economic, psychological, political, moving into humor, then the spiritual. That last line is perfect.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thank you so much, Mr. W. As I told others, it all began when I was trying to balance our checkbook and kept being off by, oh, two thousand dollars or so! I was inwardly swearing a blue streak – then “balance” came to mind. Pushed aside were ledgers, and I was off and running! Amy
booguloo
“My hold on the pole determines my dynamics”
Great spin on dancing?
Loving it.
Now to go pirouette on a peacock’s
Phanny… Wheeeeee
Sharp Little Pencil
Um, yeah, Michael, you do that, LOL. You know, the pole/dance connection did not even occur to me. Now you’re cracking me up over my own stuff! Amy
David King
Well crafted. Like the life it describes. Persuasive.
Sharp Little Pencil
Living it isn’t always easy, but it’s better now than it ever was for me! Thanks, David, for seeing the bright side. Amy
Gerry/Strummed Words
Very serious indeed, but how true to yourself and the world as you see it. Enjoy the spring!
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Gerry. I am indeed enjoying spring – especially the sunshine, which is so helpful with my depression! The world as I see it? Ahhhhh… there’s a subject for a long conversation and a bottomless cup of coffee!
Someone is Special
Happy NaNoPriMo to you Amy… I love this poem, a fantastic one.. Happy to read your thoughts on my interview.. I am a person who seek to love good things in every soul.. I love Gandhi as well as everyone human being born in this world.. and I just want to spread love among everyone.. Hope you understood my point.. SmileS..
Someone is Special
Sharp Little Pencil
Hey, SIS,
I am emailing you the rest of my thoughts, since my position has not changed, but this should be between us and the Jingle blog, not here.
I love Gandhi, too, and Gershwin and Jesus and John Lennon and Mother Teresa and Mother Jones and Annie Liebovitz and Gertrude Stein and Thomas Hardy and you, too… I know our mission as human beings is to love; I also know that, as an activist, I am called as a witness to fight injustice and protect “the least.”
You’ll find that if you look further back in my blog. I’ll email you links to a couple of examples. Peace, Amy
annell Livingston
It seems you have written a very balanced writing about balance! Thanks
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks so much, Annell. Like I told Makeda, it started in a cafe with me swearing at my checkbook register…! Amy
Rajesh
You have balanced it beautifully.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, my friend! I appreciate our back and forth on each other’s blogs.
Makeda
I liked these different viewpoints of the word “balance”. It’s a thoughtful self-examination that applies to us all.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thank you, Makeda. All started with me in a coffee shop, swearing at my calculator because I couldn’t figure out our checkbook! Inspiration comes from the most unliikely of moments, huh? Do you have a blog? Amy
Madeleine Begun Kane
Beautifully written and uplifting. And of course I loved this playful line: Makes “no sense, these dollars”
Sharp Little Pencil
Knew you’d get the pun! Glad it did not give you cause to groan!!