Poetry

Poems by Nichole Hastings

There is Another Sky

by Emily Dickinson

There is another sky,
Ever serene and fair,
And there is another sunshine,
Though it be darkness there;
Never mind faded forests, Austin,
Never mind silent fields –
Here is a little forest,
Whose leaf is ever green;
Here is a brighter garden,
Where not a frost has been;
In its unfading flowers
I hear the bright bee hum:
Prithee, my brother,
Into my garden come!

I Bought Lobster and Porter House with My Food Stamps

When you’re poor, people treat you like you’re a second class citizen/human being.
What you eat is scrutinized,
Any money you spend on non-essentials is criticized.
If you own nice stuff, people think you’re lying, stupid, or should sell it all.

Your entire value of being is questioned.
Opinions of who you are as a person are formed.

Well, right back at you.

You have money?
That’s worthless.

You’re not poor?
Whoop-de-doo.

You put a can of soup or beans in a food collection box?
Big fucking deal.

You condescend to consider The Poor.

How about appreciation for others?
Gratitude?
Kindness?
Empathy?
Compassion?

Are those qualities a commodity measurable in money?

Some misguided rich assholes out there who donate to charities for tax write-offs,
Have kids that put a couple boxes of macaroni and cheese in a hunger drive box,
Drop off clothes they no longer wear at a Goodwill
Are saying “Yes.”

They pat themselves on the back for enabling poverty.
They do nothing of any real value to address poverty’s root issues.
They think, “The Poor eating lobster or a porter house is unfair. To me.”
They think, “Poverty…that could never happen to me.”

 

@nicholehastings

6.15.2014

Days like this remind me
Not to live in the past
But once a year
I’m reminded
Of past
I want to forget

I don’t want to live like this
But here we are again on this calendar day
And amidst all the lovely joyous celebration
I curse this day
And you
For it reminding me of you

Should I be okay with it all?
And all that’s been done?
Put it behind me and move on?
I want to
But sometimes the rage still seethes in me
Bursting and unable to be contained

Today my gentle loving self
My logical empathetic compassion
My understanding and appreciation of others
And the gift of their existence in this world
Is as dead as you are
And I’m okay with that

 

@nicholehastings

I Ain’t Your Momma

Let me give a you little advice “my son”
There’s a reason you’re a party of one
Think about the way you’re living
Before the living is done

So you don’t die alone

First of all there is your health
Don’t care for you
Can’t for anyone else
Don’t love you
Can’t love anyone else

We all live and die alone

Second babe there’s what you do
Your talk ain’t nothing
If you don’t follow through
Your dreams ain’t nothing
If you ain’t in hot pursuit

Gotta live your life for you alone

Thirdly there’s the company you keep
How you treat them
And new people you meet
Are you a fairweather friend
Or true consistently?

So you don’t live alone

What kind of energy you want to be?
Me, I’m all about positivity
But you gotta do it for you
Don’t do it for me

So you don’t live alone
Hey
So you don’t die alone

So here we are full circle “my son”
Has the full force of self-realization finally won?
Have you parted the clouds to let in the sun?
I ain’t your momma so better learn these three ones

Before I leave you alone

Before the setting of the sun
Before this dance we’re dancing is done
Before all you have has left you and gone

Before I leave you alone
Yea
Before you’re all alone
Get it?
So you don’t die alone

 

@nicholehastings