Once I walked
among dusty cars,
along crowded streets,
hemmed in by buildings
and a depression of sky.
I had the freedom,
the privilege to choose
green. Fields, trees
and lush leaves
are all that crowd me
now, and the sky, although not green,
stretches its hugeness to infinity.
Kim M. Russell, 18th February 2019
My response to dVerse Poets Pub Poetics: On Privilege, also linked to Imaginary Garden with Real Toads Tuesday Platform
Anmol is our host today and he has shared a thought-provoking quote from Michael S. Kimmel to introduce his theme, ‘the elephant in the room: Privilege’. He says that, if the prompt makes some of us a bit uncomfortable, that is the idea. He has also made reference to poems by June Jordan, Michele Bombardier and Akhil Katyal.
Anmol says that the prompt today is quite open-ended and that we can approach the idea of privilege in different ways: by taking inspiration from the poets and poems he has shared with us; by reflecting on our own privileges; by writing about a cause which has personal meaning or significance for us, or about the privilege of writing and expression.
I love how you could approach this difficult subject in such an elegant way… the more i know about the world the more I love clean air and a vast sky.
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To be able to choose is a privilege.
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i lived in a small village then by the sea in my childhood but had to leave when i went to university, the cities here are polluted and chaotic but i find I miss it when I am away too long. your countryside is gorgeous, one place on my bucket list this year. I am glad you are where your heart calls you to be and that it is a privilege you treasure
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What a beautiful privilege. I thought of the privilege of the blue sky but you have posted your wonderful privilege of green and so I will let mine lie. Privilege!
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🙂
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If one can chose their environment, that is a privilege indeed. As a kid in the 50’s, I used to read National Geographic, all about drought and famine and poverty, and I understood, even then, how privileged I was. I vowed to make the most out of my life. Some of it I achieved.
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You chose well Kim. What a lovely green and sky you are viewing, stretching into infinity!
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Thank you, Grace!
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This is such an absolutely gorgeous poem, Kim! ❤️ I love the image of the sky stretching into infinity! 🙂
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Thank you, Sanaa! 😉
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The privilege of living in nature – truly a blessing, Kim.
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I couldn’t live in a city or town again, V.J.
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I know what you mean. I raised my children in the country but after divorce had to move back to the city. Now, years later, I have settled for small town life.
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“a depression of sky”…..I like your take on the prompt and the attitude of your poem. JIM
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Thank you!
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This beautifully written, Kim…yes, living near green is a wonderful privilege!
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Thank you, Lynn.
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Great title, it drew me in with curiosity. There is also truth here. So many do no have any experience being outside a city of cement.
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Thank you, Ali. More children should experience life away from the concrete jungle, the crime and violence that has taken over our cities..
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I love that sky, stretching to infinity.
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Norfolk skies are wonderful.
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Yours is a fine privilege
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Thanks Sabio!
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You are very blessed to be able to choose such a beautiful place to live!
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Blessed indeed, Dwight!
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I like your privilege of loving green to which you (the writer) have ample access I think you didn’t enjoy nearly so much the infinite blue sky as you did the greens. In a previous life, two lives back, my escape was a green Vespa motorscooter. Several times I even took it into old Mexico for a day. Very much priveleged.
..
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Thank you, Jim.
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Ah, this is such a sweet interpretation of the prompt, Kim. It’s interesting how you consider it a privilege as you have experienced the other side of it as well. There can be so many areas of life where we can be humble and mindful about such small things. The greenery and the blue expanse are wonderful blessings indeed. It’s a lovely poem!
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Thank you so much, Anmol.
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This is an excellent description of the privilege of circumstance and the ability to choose.
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Thank you, Ken.
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We take the simplest things for granted, not understanding that just having options is a privilege some don’t have. I love the sweet way this piece acknowledges a hard truth.
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Thank you, Rommy.
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Ah, the privilege to choose your locale…all don’t share that!
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Your words are so lovely Kim, and I love the title!
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Th a k you so much, Linda David!
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I have no idea why my Kindle added ‘David’ to my reply, Linda!
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LOL- I was wondering if you were dubbing me with a new name! 😉
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😊
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One of the greatest privileges … the right to choose. Well written.
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Thank you, Bev.
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Smiles.. Reminds Me of a Big
Promotion to an Office
Without
A Window
To Freedom
Ah the Work
of Nature
the
Privilege
of Actually
Loving Life Stolen
Away So Often in
Promotions of Cultural Clothes..:)
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The privilege to choose where one can live is indeed a rare blessing…
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Life could have been so different.
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What a gift it is to have the freedom of movement and place.
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It could have been very different, Nora.
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I love thinking of the sky in its “hugeness!” Love the title and how you move from the dusty to the vastness of the green and the sky. A wonderful take on the prompt, Kim.
And I am smiling a bit on the side here too…..as the title reminded me of watching Sesame Street with my kids when they were little (they are now 42 and 44) and their loving Kermit the Frog singing about being green 🙂
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That song, @Being green’ was written and originally performed by Van Morrison and now most people link it to Kermit. Sweet! Here’s a link to the original:
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and a depression of sky.
I had the freedom,
the privilege to choose
green. Fields, trees
This a wonderful acknowledgement, being grateful, and not taking this for granted. Beautiful words.
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Thank you, Sascha!
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I love your use of contrast in this poem. Gray and Green. I felt the emotions!
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Thank you for reading and commenting.,
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