The Pub Corner Poets

I am going to recite to you

A choice selection of words

That we have seen written

Spoken

Heard

Absorbed into our way of thinking

And now use every day.

Ugly

Fat

Retarded

Slut

That’s the first hurtful thing someone ever called me.

I was 13, and I couldn’t have been more shocked.

I knew what the words meant

I just never felt the need to vent

Such animosity

I was taught to speak to others as I would hope that they would speak to me.

I couldn’t think what I had done to deserve such hatred

Why was she so jaded?

She didn’t need to make me feel degraded,

I didn’t even know about her until a Facebook comment

Denouncing me

How dare she.

Well of course, my defences were quickly armoured

And I did my best to out-manoeuvre

This horrible situation

I was cut to ribbons.

Unprepared for a villainous action such as this

Anyway, I’m getting distracted

I’m just passionate about it.

Too often people criticize

What’s actually a wonderful part of us as a people

The fact that none of us are the same,

Even a set of twin’s fingerprints aren’t identical

And I think

It’s a sign that we should take seriously.

I’m not trying to say we abolish all means of achieving what many call

Beauty

Let our legs grow hairy,

I’m not saying we destroy all moisturizers

Not at all

What I want is for everyone

Every one of us

To feel beautiful

No matter what your ideal is.

I can’t change an entire world’s perception of beauty

In a single poem

What I can do

Is tell you that you are

Fantastic

You are less than one in a billion

And believe me, less is so much more.

That is what makes you special.

And you are,

Don’t ever deny that you’re not

And it’s all very well and good

To say these things

But to mean them is my message

My message is to mean the thoughts

I threw into the world

Words will never fully capture it.

You see, I don’t promote arrogance,

I promote confidence

The confidence to stand up for yourself

And know that you aren’t wrong in doing so

Knowing that you are not worthless

And not letting mirthless harpies

Using sharp cuts in time with your heartbeat

Break you without ever looking into your eyes

Don’t ever believe that your life is lesser

Then somebody else’s life

As long as you never forget how wonderful you can be

Remember your kindness, your generosity

Your love and your joy, your passion and ferocity

You can’t be broken.

Share happiness, not bitterness

It tastes much better and everyone enjoys it.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I ask only this

Next time you have the chance to pass judgement on somebody

Give it a ponder

You might start to wonder

If perhaps there’s more than meets the eye

And it feels surprisingly good to be kind

So try.

You never know

how long before this poem goes viral? 

I am going to recite to you

A choice selection of words

That we have seen written

Spoken

Heard

Absorbed into our way of thinking

And now use every day.

Ugly

Fat

Retarded

Slut

That’s the first hurtful thing someone ever called me.

I was 13, and I couldn’t have been more shocked.

I knew what the words meant

I just never felt the need to vent

Such animosity

I was taught to speak to others as I would hope that they would speak to me.

I couldn’t think what I had done to deserve such hatred

Why was she so jaded?

She didn’t need to make me feel degraded,

I didn’t even know about her until a Facebook comment

Denouncing me

How dare she.

Well of course, my defences were quickly armoured

And I did my best to out-manoeuvre

This horrible situation

I was cut to ribbons.

Unprepared for a villainous action such as this

Anyway, I’m getting distracted

I’m just passionate about it.

Too often people criticize

What’s actually a wonderful part of us as a people

The fact that none of us are the same,

Even a set of twin’s fingerprints aren’t identical

And I think

It’s a sign that we should take seriously.

I’m not trying to say we abolish all means of achieving what many call

Beauty

Let our legs grow hairy,

I’m not saying we destroy all moisturizers

Not at all

What I want is for everyone

Every one of us

To feel beautiful

No matter what your ideal is.

I can’t change an entire world’s perception of beauty

In a single poem

What I can do

Is tell you that you are

Fantastic

You are less than one in a billion

And believe me, less is so much more.

That is what makes you special.

And you are,

Don’t ever deny that you’re not

And it’s all very well and good

To say these things

But to mean them is my message

My message is to mean the thoughts

I threw into the world

Words will never fully capture it.

You see, I don’t promote arrogance,

I promote confidence

The confidence to stand up for yourself

And know that you aren’t wrong in doing so

Knowing that you are not worthless

And not letting mirthless harpies

Using sharp cuts in time with your heartbeat

Break you without ever looking into your eyes

Don’t ever believe that your life is lesser

Then somebody else’s life

As long as you never forget how wonderful you can be

Remember your kindness, your generosity

Your love and your joy, your passion and ferocity

You can’t be broken.

Share happiness, not bitterness

It tastes much better and everyone enjoys it.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I ask only this

Next time you have the chance to pass judgement on somebody

Give it a ponder

You might start to wonder

If perhaps there’s more than meets the eye

And it feels surprisingly good to be kind

So try.

You never know