Welcome to Poetically Yours. Poetically Yours showcases poems by Illinois poets. This week’s featured poet is Lori Beach-Grass.
Beach-Grass started a spoken word club called LIT UP. It began at West Middle School in Rockford but as the group grew, literally and figuratively, the meetups moved to Auburn High School. Beach-Grass was a teacher, but multiple sclerosis pushed her into retirement. This April, the squad visited the WNIJ studio for a special Facebook live and while there, they recorded a few poems. Beach-Grass left some words behind as well. Here’s her poem “Turning.”
Sweet babies are born and are held when they cry,
The elderly sleep and are held when they die.
We decrease our hello’s...
And increase our goodbye’s…
As the world continues to turn.
Normalcy begins to take shape in our lives.
Some men become soldiers, some women become wives.
Some people seek truth…
Others still believe lies,
As the world continues to turn.
As surely as the earth revolves on its axis,
We all will take breath and we all will pay taxes!
But, no matter what happens, we’re sure that the fact is…
The world will continue to turn.
Events will occur that devastate,
That deviate,
That desecrate,
That penetrate and legislate,
That create a weight that will slate our fate…
No matter how small, no matter how great,
Our world will continue to turn.
Nothing will stop this slow revolution;
It’s not really a problem that needs a solution.
At the end of each day, the evident conclusion is…
Our world will continue to turn.
Although this rotation from the North to South Poles,
Causes the sun to rise and the waves to roll…
There are things we own that are in our control;
The content of our heart, the shape of our soul,
Our reactions towards others, the kindness we show,
The legacy we leave, the seeds that we sew,
The love that we spread that’ll continue to grow.
Prioritize these, make them your goal,
As our world continues to turn,
As long as God keeps you here on our earth,
You have a clear reason to show us your worth!
You were given one life, one chance to bring change,
Although others may see you as different or strange…
Show those observing you’ve got skin in this game,
As the world continues to turn.
