Homework WE 16/4/18 - Rights and Obligations

[Shelley Hansen]

Just in time before the deadline whooshes past!!

Rights and Obligations
(c) Shelley Hansen 2018

There’s often much hyperbole surrounding world events
with Twitter pages full of bluff and bluster.
High profile fragile friendships are exposed as mere pretence
as war machines prepare to arm and muster.
There’s little we can do to change the things we read and hear
as dramas run their course on global stages.
We may believe our impact may be minimal, and fear
we have no chance to alter written pages.

The right to carry arms has been debated in some lands
and while we think we’d never make those choices
we hold a deadly weapon of destruction in our hands
that governs how we choose to use our voices.
That weapon is the right of speech – a freedom we hold dear
but sadly, is misused by those who swagger
and prowl the depths of cyber-space, creating waves of fear
as armed up to the teeth, they ply their dagger.

The ancient words on parchment writ contain this wise advice –
that he who can restrain the words he’s using
is able to control his life. It’s true that in a trice
harsh words, once uttered, may result in losing
a friendship, or the hand of trust – but worse, a youthful life -
snuffed out amid the prime of springtime’s season,
when soul-destroying venom which it seems, is somewhat rife,
brings anguish that transcends all sense of reason.

A nation wept to hear the news of beauty swept away.
We learn too late our children fail in coping
with faceless masks whose venom poisons each new waking day
and causes them to lose their sense of hoping.
We have the right to cherish precious freedom of our speech,
but cowardice has no place in our nation;
and so before “fair dinkum” moves away beyond our reach,
remember that with “right” comes obligation.

[Neville Briggs]

If a person in Australia cries out that the emperor has no clothes , will we find that freedom of speech is upheld. I know what I think.

[Maureen K Clifford]

You snuck it in - but it was worth waiting for Shelley - excellent use of the prompts and that last line nails it. Well done you

[Catherine Lee]

Fantastic, Shelley, as I knew it would be! Such truth in this, and very powerful - definitely worth the wait!!

[Shelley Hansen]

Thanks so much Maureen and Catherine.

Bit of a hobby horse of mine, I know - but I just cannot abide bullying of any kind. It's always been around of course, but these days of faceless and cowardly cyber-attack have taken it to a whole new sinister level.

The prompts just seemed to fit.

Cheers
Shelley

[Terry]

Almost missed this one Shelly, glad I didn't.
Very well written as usual, and a very enjoyable poem to read,
it's also quite topical as well.

Terry