Windows of Rainbows: Inspired by a Leonard Cohen Song
John is passionate about human and animal rights, social justice, equality, and the environment, and likes to convey that in his writing.
The Inspiration for This Poem
I had just listened to "The Stranger Song" by Leonard Cohen. It was about the same time that the Philippines had just been hit by a terrible typhoon destroying cities and taking many lives. The song and Cohen's voice stirred up a range of emotions, and this poem is the result.
The poem 'Windows of Rainbows' can be recited to the same beat as 'The Stranger Song' or at least that was going through my head as I wrote. I, therefore, suggest you listen to the song before reading the poem.
Recently, friend and fellow writer and poet, Brenda Arledge provided a word prompt "rainbows" in her wonderful article: Word Prompts Help Creativity ~ Week 38. I thought this was a good opportunity to reshare this article/poem as it fits the subject quite well.
Windows Of Rainbows
Sometimes you need to contemplate
The world in all its glory
All the good and bad
That happens every day.
You greet your next door neighbor
With a smile
And say, "How are you?"
But do you really wait for him to say?
You read the daily paper, or check the news online.
It doesn't really matter anyway.
Amidst all the destruction,
The death and people homeless,
Sometimes you feel that you're immune to crying.
There's surely good news out there
If you take the time to look,
But something's wrong, when
This is what you have to do.
If you have to search for happiness
Through all the pain and grief
That surrounds us from each corner
Of the world.
Then I stop and look around me
At everything I have,
And I realize how lucky
That I am.
Possessions, they mean nothing,
And success...well who can judge
If what you've done in life,
Has any worth?
The only thing that matters
Is the truth within your heart,
And if your actions
Compliment your words.
I turn towards the windows,
As I hear the pitter patter
Of raindrops, as they gather
On the glass.
The sunlight is still shining,
As the rain clouds start abating,
And the droplets shine
With multi-colored hues.
Gazing through the splattered glass
All dark thoughts leave my mind,
And in their place
Bright feelings, now exposed.
Of how to make things better,
And the world a nicer place,
As I look with different eyes, through...
Windows of rainbows.
© 2013 John Hansen