{"id":137990964,"date":"2026-04-06T05:30:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T10:30:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jahangiri.us\/2020\/?p=137990964"},"modified":"2026-04-09T11:03:49","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T16:03:49","slug":"grump-day-5-%c2%bd-of-national-poetry-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jahangiri.us\/2020\/grump-day-5-%c2%bd-of-national-poetry-month\/","title":{"rendered":"Grump: Day 5 \u00bd of National Poetry Month"},"content":{"rendered":"

Day 5\u00bd: National Poetry Month<\/h2>\n

Earlier, I skipped Sunday’s “being so grumpy you hate everything,” prompt. But by 9:15 PM, I was channeling my inner to Darwin. \u201cI hate myself, I hate clover, and I hate bees.\u201d<\/p>\n

That’s not the foundation of good poetry. I was reminded, last year, that one of the functions of poetry is to remind people what it is they’re fighting for, not just venting, protesting, or serving as the rallying cry for what they’re fighting against. I don’t want the poems I leave behind in the world to exude negativity.<\/p>\n

But there is something relatably humorous in Charles Darwin’s occasional loathing of everything – he was clearly a man who loved everything enough to study it meticulously. The term “love-hate” didn’t enter the lexicon during Darwin’s lifetime, but it would seem to capture his feelings perfectly. He must have been tired and terribly frustrated when he wrote that.<\/p>\n

Easter is an important holiday for Christians. But there was so much hypocrisy online, yesterday, that it was hard to appreciate the intended message. From Good Friday to Easter, I cannot help but think how lucky humanity is that I’m not God. Imagine “giving your only begotten son” as a sacrifice to wipe clean humanity’s sin, only to have them go forth and sin again and again and again – cheating, destroying, murdering, wasting, hoarding, depriving their fellow humans of life, liberty, and happiness – without remorse or contrition? I would not be so forgiving, but then again, I’m a mother – it took me nine months to birth a human and I didn’t do it for them to be killed or to kill another mother’s children. An omnipotent God could simply crush the planet and remake it in a week. Food for thought…<\/p>\n

Embrace Mankind, or Shove ’em Off a Cliff?<\/h2>\n

In the morning, I would lift my voice
\nand call mankind to sing the sunrise \u2014
\nweave it into rainbows, cotton-candy
\nclouds that stretch from shore to shore
\nand weep as they embrace us all.<\/p>\n

By noon, I would lay a feast, inviting all
\nto rest and eat their fill – break bread
\ntogether, singing, “Kum ba yah”
\ncommuning with our maker. There is enough \u2014
\nno need to stuff our pockets full for later.<\/p>\n

By evening, I would say, “Look! There
\nsets the moon a silver streak, shimmering \u2014”
\nThey would lean in, pause their squabbling
\nfor a moment…\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0It would be so easy.
\nWaste not, want not. Amen.<\/p>\n

Voracious fish are waiting patiently below;
\nwith faith that there’s enough to go around.<\/p>\n

Other National Poetry Month Posts<\/h2>\n