avatarJonathan Greene

Summary

"A Belly of Acceptance" is a reflective poem that contemplates the balance between hope and fear in a world facing despair.

Abstract

The poem "A Belly of Acceptance" by Jonathan Greene delves into the emotional landscape of an individual grappling with the state of the world. The author describes the world as a bird with broken wings, struggling yet afloat, symbolizing resilience amidst adversity. The narrator seeks solace in solitude, wishing to draw light from darkness as a means of self-preservation against the overwhelming negativity perpetuated by the news. The poem suggests that hope and fear are interdependent; fear without hope offers no future, and hope without fear is blind. The author acknowledges the presence of both emotions, suggesting they are part of a greater plan for a world that is not lost but in need of guidance. The poem concludes with the narrator's yearning for acceptance, implying that embracing the current reality is a step towards healing and moving forward.

Opinions

  • The world is depicted as simultaneously resilient and vulnerable, much like a bird with broken wings that continues to fly despite its injuries.
  • The author expresses a sense of fatigue from the constant barrage of negative news, which is likened to an intravenous drip of despair.
  • The poem conveys a heretical stance towards hope, portraying it as a conscious choice to see beyond the despair perpetuated by the media.
  • Fear is not presented as inherently negative but rather as a necessary counterpart to hope, providing it with context and urgency.
  • The author posits that fear, when balanced with hope, can lead to a meaningful future, suggesting that the interplay between the two emotions is essential for progress.
  • There is an underlying belief in the potential for a better world, one that is currently struggling but can find its way with the right perspective.
  • The poem concludes with an emphasis on acceptance as a vital and healing emotional state, implying that it is a prerequisite for positive change.

A Belly of Acceptance

A Poem

Photo by Bethan Abra on Unsplash

The world flutters outside my window like a bird with two broken wings somehow staying adrift in the breeze but destined to fall

I binged this world for too long and now I want to go into my cave and get my light from the darkness before it overtakes me

News drips despair intravenously as we let it course through our veins filling us with maniacal misanthropy The mirror is bare

Maybe I’m a heretic of hope climbing hard against the grain to open my eyes to a world still there Waiting patiently behind closed doors

Fear is present, but not without hope and together they are odd bedfellows but if you really think about it they need each other

We have no future from fear without hope and our hope is blind without fear So maybe they have a plan and it’s time to believe that

A world not lost, just misguided Struggling for a breath of fresh air and when I breathe in today all I want to feel is a belly of acceptance

© Jonathan Greene 2020

If you liked this, you might like this as well:

Poetry
Acceptance
Hope
Fear
Mindfulness
Recommended from ReadMedium
avatarAnna Breslin
Stairs

a poem

2 min read
avatarHelen L
Don’t Call Me Beautiful

When you haven’t seen my soul

1 min read
avatarPallavi Kohli 🍄
Timeless Memories

What time can’t take away from me

2 min read
avatarNate Lost
The Sound of the Storm

a poem

2 min read
avatarJennifer Kurecki
Oasis

A broken heart leading a broken girl,  unable to grow. A broken girl following a broken heart, searching for her value in every soul along…

1 min read
avatarDevon Price
Laziness Does Not Exist

Psychological research is clear: when people procrastinate, there's usually a good reason

11 min read