It’s Twofer… Thursday! Three prompts in two poems. Each prompt is listed under the appropriate work. It’s a sunny day, and things are looking up in Amyville! If you want your day to be even better, click on the links for the various poetry sites and look at the astounding work out there in cyberbeautyland! Peace, Amy
Just One Wish
If I could have just one wish…
I’d melt all weapons, from
handguns to tanks
Forge farm tools for land to be tilled by
hands that formerly pushbuttonlaunched drones
Hands that flew off wrists as Hummer hit IED.
Honest work for real pay,
homes for all, bellies full.
The sick tended,
violence ended,
people defended
by reason, not rockets.
By wisdom, not war.
© 2012 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
For Carry On Tuesday, prompt: Finish this poem, “If I had just one wish…”
And now… sidetracking into true ignorance!
Homophobes
“Deviant” is a concept
born of miniscule minds
and religious cherry-pickers
who have bad translations of the Bible.
They dwell on the trivial
while ignoring real problems
which require substantial effort…
and that are apparently not their concern.
© 2012 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
For Three Word Wednesday (Deviant, Miniscule, Trivial) and ABC Wednesday, brought to you by the letter “H.”
Both are also at my poetic hangout, Poets United.
Sharp Little Pencil 
Roger Green
How do you REALLY feel about homophobes? Way too subtle. 🙂
Should be some interesting comments – I got some for my E is for Equality post 3 weeks ago.
Sharp Little Pencil
Roger, you know my knack for subtlety, ha ha.
I’ll check your E post when I come over. Thanks for knowing me and taking me at face value. Always appreciate hearing from you! Amy
Carver
Those are both great poems. I’ll never understand how people can take literal interpretations of the old testament (in particular) to justify hate while ignoring the messages of love in the new testament. It’s as if people forget not only the times in which books of faith were written but also that these books have gone through so many different translations that it’s impossible to even know what a literal interpretation would be. Also the fact that there are so many contradiction too. I find that so many religious books of different faiths have inspiring messages but can also be twisted to mean almost anything. I prefer twisting towards the universal love direction. O.K. I’m falling off my soap box as I have poor balance. Carver, ABC Wednesday Team
Sharp Little Pencil
Carver, thanks. Biblical literalists in the past have used the Bible to justify slavery, keeping African Americans “in their place,” keeping women from achieving full equality. The whole Council at Nicea, during which the Bible as used today was assembled (and certain Gospels thrown out, including the Magdalene’s and Thomas, because he spoke of Mary M. being the first teacher of the disciples after Jesus’ death) by Eurocentric, celibate men. I rest my case. Amy
Old Egg
Two great poems. I read once that man was more passive as a vegetarian before discovering fire and eating meat. Mind you we had tiny brains back then and probably though peaceful coexistence was good!
Your second poem in my mind is linked in that nature is saying there are too many on board this ship we must slow procreation a little!
Sharp Little Pencil
I have a friend who’s into “zero population growth” whose email handle is “stopattwo.” I’m of a like mind, although that’s for me… some folks love a big family, and as long as they educate them well and take good care of them (and don’t keep procreating to keep their TLC show going, like those idiot 20 Kids And Counting people on US TV… they homeschool their kids, but for all the wrong reasons: Religious ideology, plus their kids are dumb as dirt!! Thanks, Egg O’ Mine! aMy
Sheilagh Lee
both powerful pieces and something I totally agree with.Bravo.
Sharp Little Pencil
Sheilagh, thanks so much. I figured these would appeal to my girlz!! Amy
vivinfrance
wise words indeed Amy. I think we’d all be very happy to see them come true.
Sharp Little Pencil
God only knows, and She ain’t tellin’!! Thanks, Viv, I appreciate your comment. Peace, dear. Amy
zongrik
are the homophones the deviant ones?
Sharp Little Pencil
People only consider OTHER people deviant. It’s the ultimate judgment; that’s why I try hard not to judge homophobes, but educate them. Sadly, they still seem to be in control. Having aligned myself with the gay community from the age of 5 (when I found out what Gay was, and quite subtly), and being an activist since the 80s, I’m still working. It should be LGBTA (for Ally). I’m considered by Fundies every bit as deviant as gays and lesbians, et al., for supporting their rights. Amy
Gigi Ann
Your poem “Just One Wish, is lovely. I hope to live in a world like that someday,
Sharp Little Pencil
Oh, Gigi, don’t we all? Thanks for stopping. I’ll pay you a visit now! Amy
Renee Espriu
Right there with you, Amy.
Sharp Little Pencil
On that I know I can rely. PEACE! Amy
ladynimue
Impressive writes both of these !
🙂
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks so much, Nimue, and glad we are back in touch! Peace, Amy
Meryl
All about HOPE! Great post.
Sharp Little Pencil
Peace, hope, love. The only things worth living for, and the only reason we were given this earth. Too bad the nasties are in charge… Thanks, Amy
purplepeninportland
Fabulous, Amy. This is so clever. I particularly like “religious cherry pickers”
Sharp Little Pencil
Oh, yeah, that hits a nerve with Fundamentalists, no matter what religion. The Bible is not a salad bar. It’s a stew filled with cherry pits as well as cherries, and some hemlock along with the beef! Peace, Amy
brian miller
bang bang…double barreled fun…after the first i was ready to vote for you and after the second i wanted to make you pope…smiles….lot of truth in the second one sadly…not much love there which is what it is really all about…and i agree with the hopes and desires in the first…
Sharp Little Pencil
Brian, I love you! Actually, I do believe the pope’s skirt would look a tetch better on me, LOL. If I WERE pope, I’d start by acting like Anthony Quinn in “Shoes of the Fisherman.” If you’ve never read the book or seen the movie, I won’t spoil it for you… Peace, Amy
Jae Rose
I am glad things are good in Amyville..you write with your heart as well as your sharp little pencil..and I love you for that..most would wish for things for themselves..it takes a big soul to wish for the world..you have it..Jae 🙂
Sharp Little Pencil
You have it, too, Jae. There is much truth – bone-deep pain, revelations – in your work. Yes, things are good here, but watch out!! At any moment… yikes. Peace, Amy
macheide
What I hear here sounds like both melody and harmony to the same song, would that there were more voices willing, able, doing not just saying so. Thank you for raising your voice to it.
May I add a footnote to your wish? That our soldiers come home safe to their loved ones.
And may I add an underline to your keen observation? That those who preach ought live by their own rules and respect for others the same rights they claim for themselves.
Sharp Little Pencil
Amen to the troops.
I try to respect the rights of others, but my only prejudice is against bigots, because they usually insulate themselves for self-satisfaction and do not want to hear anyone else’s point of view. Archie Bunker, you know?
I’m a follower of Jesus, who said LOVE. Married to a pastor, I’m a former nightclub singer, did the drug thing when I was young, I’m manic depressive with PTSD. I’m very open about all of it, including my status as an ally with LGBT people. I speak truth to power, as Jesus taught, and challenge hate speech… and I never run out of words, so I don’t need to carry a gun! Peace, Amy
macheide
Which maybe helps explain what makes me feel these two poems of yours go so well together like they’re hand in hand. For has anyone loved more perfectly or brought peace more completely than Jesus? And yet has anyone been more unyielding in denunciation of hypocrisy than has he been? Love and peace clearly does not mean that one must tolerate those who hold others to standards that they themselves willfully violate. Anyway, I found forceful poetry in your words here. Thanks.
Sharp Little Pencil
I appreciate this, too. Jesus certainly would decry all acts of war, particularly first strikes on countries. Strike that. ANY war. And he always stood up for the disenfranchised – in this case, that includes troops still serving in that hellish Middle East mess, as well as those who are home and not getting care for their mental wounds. Don’t get me started on the homeless and those incarcerated under the draconian Rockefeller Drug Laws… Peace, Amy
scriptorsenex
With so many of us having your ‘Just One Wish’ it’s sad we can’t achieve it.
Sharp Little Pencil
It is indeed sad, because it would be so easily achieved. In this year, when so many are convinced the world is coming to an end (which is hogwash, but anyway…), wouldn’t you think we’d concentrate on making justice and mercy the key goals? Aaaaah… peace, Amy
Reader Wil
Important poems. Especially the first one. These words from the Bible are the always used for our peace movements. Thank you for sharing.
Sharp Little Pencil
Swords into ploughshares, Wil, I’m SO there. Why can’t people get their anxiety levels down and realize we are all human beings, sprung from the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates? Much ado about… oh, now I’m going to a new source! Thank you for stopping; now, I’ll pay you a visit. Peace, Amy
Mariya Koleva
Hey, Amy, lots of truth and so cleverly-put! I loved those two poems. Unfortunately, so true.
Best, M.
Sharp Little Pencil
My sister, you understand. Someday, we’ll get a bunch of like-minded women and men together and figure out how to claim power now held by the War Machine… by any peaceful means necessary. Amy
Paige
Your 2fer is an important read, with something useful and profound
to impart. And written in a powerful voice.
Sharp Little Pencil
Paige, thank you for visiting and for your kind words. I never mind when people disagree, but it seems everyone can agree on PEACE, right? Peace to you, Amy
Lindy Lee
You & I certainly see mind to eye; thank you for two well written poems…
Sharp Little Pencil
…and amazingly so. Draws me back to your blog every time! Thanks, Lindy… peace, Amy
brian miller
smiles….absolutely love your vision in the first one…the end of weapons and the hope of hard work and food and homes for all….if only….smiles…
Serena
I was so excited to see Sharp Little Pencil in the list… and you didn’t disappoint. I love your heart… if the world had your heart there would be no more weapons or pain or hurt or sorrow … do you think you could lend the world your heart? Oh wait… you already did… I can hardly wait to see what happens to the world… I wait with abated breath and heightened pulse… thank you for your inspiration
Steve King
Amy,
Two for two. Great goals and ideals.