kindness

A whish of wisdom

~ ~M ~ 12 Comments

You never know what’s coming
You never know what’s near
The world can be so sneaky
Far from kind and sincere

So guard your heart with an anvil
Your mind with a song
Praying that all the good things
Will carry you along

Don’t be fooled by the glitz
Don’t let glam be your guide
Follow the way of heartstrings
Let those transform your mind

Give away what you don’t need
Perhaps even the stuff you do
And never settle for less
Than what you know is true

© 2024 Michelle Cook

*It’s been said that if you’re having trouble calming your mind, humming can help because you can’t hum and think simultaneously. Anyway, that’s where the idea for this poem came from. Like so many others, I’m an overthinker, and this humming method really helps me. And now that I’m thinking about it, I bet whistling while you work might help, too. If you give it a try, let me know if it helps. 

Much love to all of you, ~M xo

Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/dandelion-sunset-flowers-mountains-8809189/

Exquisite little things…

~ ~M ~ 7 Comments

Beauty lies in exquisite little things
and oh, the joy each one can bring

Tiny buds shooting up from the earth
does anyone notice their undeniable worth

A small hand that reaches out
when time is short and heartaches about

Do we see the love that’s clearly there
or do we sit uninterested without a care

The look from a friend, be it human or pet
compassions eye, causing us not to fret

Do we open our hearts and let the love rush in
as that smiling face tries to warm us from within

A tree that sways from a forest glen
welcoming us back time n time again

Do we notice how it gives a place to rest our feet
offering us a spot for introspection and retreat

The sky filled with glory of the heavenly kind
taking our breath away when we need to rewind

Do we stop and take notice, capturing the delight
or instead, look away, never noticing the light

The gift of a kind gesture, a selfless act from purest love
perhaps the presence of angels sent from above

Maybe we don’t see the treasure that’s always been right there
plagued by hardships and suffering, are we completely unaware?

© 2024 Michelle Cook

Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/spring-flower-wild-flower-4042746/

This world

~ ~M ~ 15 Comments

I haven’t figured out yet
why hatred exists,
but it swirls around me;
why must it persist?

It saddens my heart,
this destruction of men,
and I wonder how it started,
or has it always been?

The meanness of this world
lingers all around;
I try to tip-toe right by it
but still, I am found.

A jab in the stomach,
a slap to the face,
always forced to feel
like such a disgrace.

Sadly, this evil lurks
behind every innocent-looking door;
it robs us of our freedoms,
and we’re shunned forevermore.

But a few sympathetic hugs
or some kindhearted smiles
can cause a trail of love
to spread on for miles.

So even when we’re bullied,
we’ve got to fight from within;
instead of spreading more hatred,
there is a better way to win.

Open up your heart
and kiss away despair;
all you have to do
is show how much you care.

The world may drown in hatred,
but you can still survive;
by being humble and gentle,
your spirit will continue to thrive.

Don’t listen to the haters;
you know what you carry inside.
And no matter what happens,
never forget how hard you tried.

© 2022 Michelle Cook

Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/tree-clouds-fields-grass-832079/

He was the calm in my rage

~ ~M ~ 25 Comments

He was the calm in my rage
which led me to a new beginning.

I was the isolated, loose thread
who hardly even noticed
the quiet tug of his hand.

But after being unraveled,
I realized a thing or two.

My eyes could at last see clearly
and all the emptiness faded away.

I was at last free of all the things
that kept me from being me.

And to have someone so generous,
and so full of life with so much to give.

Well, it’s absolutely priceless
in every way, shape, or form.

He really was my saving grace
and to be honest, he still is.

© 2022 Michelle Cook

Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/lavender-nature-flowers-plants-3576129/

Why would I?

~ ~M ~ 33 Comments

Choosing what to remember,
often looking beyond,
time has been kind to me;
the memories are fond.

I could sink into a slew
of unfavorable recollections,
but my heart knows the cost
of unsightly reflections.

So the bright side wins out,
neither a regret nor a sigh,
and I never feel too bad
when my head is in the sky.

Others may decide to loiter
in the pit of despair,
but why would sensible me
ever choose to go there.

© 2021 Michelle Cook

Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/young-woman-sitting-overlooking-731142/