For Rosanna

'For Rosanna' is written to good friend of mine and is inspired by another poem, 'For Tea'.

To you, who wear but hide your heart

in confusion, sorrow and fire.
I held your heart for a moment;
and you showed me what’s inside.
You run and veil yourself from the world,
Yet I still see you
- shattered and wounded.
You see your emotion as weakness
and shroud within an armour.
Strength is not one thing,
it comes in many forms.
Though you remain blind,
I see your strength.
Your only weakness
is that you hide yourself.
- I see you still;
You will rise from your ashes;
You will find your strength
in the shards that are shed

 

Mai L. Nissen, November 2012

Author's Note

Art by Ditte Løfgren
Ditteloefgren.com

Criticism and suggestions are well received :)

Reviews

[...]

Sounds like strong prayer. I CAN feel your passion and compassion. Words have power to stay at my mind for long time.

[Mai L Nissen]

Thank you for your kind words, Marketa! :)

[Coyote Poetry]

Strong and amazing description in the poem.
"I see your strength.
Your only weakness
is that you hide yourself."
I like the thoughts and wisdom shared in your words. We can confuse strength and weaknesses. Thank you Mai for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote

[Nene]

I loved the poem... Its very hard to see someone you hold so dear to you to shatter into pieces... You badly want them to get up and feel better...
Well said. though you remain blind
I see your strength...
Strength is not one thing,
It comes in many forms...
Loved this line

[Mai L Nissen]

Thank you, Nene. I appreciate it :)

[nazia]

Those who can use their weaknesses as strengths emerge as winners.. An emotional piece straight from the heart of a deeply caring friend.

[Mai L Nissen]

Thank you for your kind words, Nazia :)

[gorillarock]

I simply love reading this poem! Actually, I rather enjoyed reading these two poems as a tiny compilation (For Tea was great)! They compliment each other quite well, as if to be friends in literature. One clear, concise, powerful with just a few words; the other more wordy, with potency in depth and description. Both beautiful, sharing the same uplifting sense of friendship, and yet each holds their own sense of individuality... magnificent poetic duet, my friend, magnificent!

This piece... I mean you can apply my review from For Tea to this as well! But the additional depth is uniquely impressive. Something like this has so much room to crumple and disappoint, since it's following and expanding on another great piece. But my opinion is that you maintain the quality and integrity of For Tea in a completely distinct and individual expression. I would not allow one to be read without the other since they are linked by inspiration, but i would not allow one review to be applicable for both.

i specifically enjoy that i get to use a certain word coming up :D Did you intend for there to be juxtaposition between "I see your strength." and "Your only weakness"? The lines are of two thoughts, separate points, but "You see your emotion as weakness" is an earlier line that really stood out... which leads me to believe that the strength you see is the fact that she has emotions so strong! That she was a great person for just being able to feel in the way that she does. The next line carries a certain duality "is that you hide yourself". The outright point that... her weakness is that she hides herself... and the subtle juxtaposed point that she is strong, but her one and only weakness is that she hides her strength in emotion. I mean... I have to tie in your line "Strength is not one thing". you come out and say it... highlight it with italics, and yet her only weakness is hiding strength? OF COURSE you can be 100% confident in your last stanza, as you are. She is strong, her emotions need not be hidden, she will rise when she realizes how gifted she truly is! what a poetic sucker punch! so subtly you tell her that shes got so much more going for her... and motivate her to go for it... and flat out tell her shes awesome... and tell her how she could find happiness... Magnificent! (intended or not)

My grade 10 English teacher just smiled, and has no idea why haha I'm sure he would appreciate your work as well!

Thank you for haring these beautiful moments in time!

[Mai L Nissen]

Wow, Thank you for your wonderful review! I am glad that you liked it :)
I did not sit and plan it out, however, some of the things you mention were intended - knowing how strong she is although she thinks herself weak... She has carried many burdens that people cannot see - she carries her family's burden because not everybody is brave enough to face reality.
Understandably, this is exhausting - she is strong because she has carried this weight she should not have carried in the first place... and for her, the strongest moment is that she is reaching out, instead of just ignoring how this weight makes her feel... taking responsibility for her own well being, not just that of other's...

[dan]

Mai, I hope Rosanna reads this and receives some comfort from your words. Thank you for sharing such an obviously personal piece...your friendship and love will embrace her and hopefully allow herself to see her own vast worth. A very beautiful sentiment cloaked within verse. take care...dan

[Mai L Nissen]

Thank you for your kind review, Dan! I really appreciate it :) Mai

[ANTO]

Its hard to see those we cherish implode and retract into their own little bubbles when we can see what they can't - we know that only being out there again - avoiding avoidance - will repair.
This is another fine friendship write Mai. Concern, selflessness and empathy is overwhelming here.
Well penned and flowing with emotion.
:)

[Mai L Nissen]

Thank you for your kind review, Anto! Glad you liked it.

Though I cannot take credit for selflessness...

[ANTO]

YVW but How so ? surely we choose to be selfless or selfish ?

[Mai L Nissen]

yeah, but if you love someone and they are devastated - you want them to feel better, for your own sake as much as for their... I don't know, I don't believe that there is any act that is totally selfless. I get a lot out of that friendship too! - because she is such a wonderful person in many ways, I don't want to see any harm done to her.

[ANTO]

oh yes - I see where you are coming from now - wow ! never thought of the investment we have - cool thinking Mai - thanks for that

[Jamestown]

I love the last stanza, the uplifting, encouraging and confidence that you
have for your friend, exactly what a true friend is supposed
to do! It makes me wish I had you around when
I was going through my divorce. This whole piece is
well written again your wording is terrific, thanks for sharing and b-blessed!

[Mai L Nissen]

Thank you for your kind review, JT.

I am sorry that you did not have the encouragement and support that you deserved and needed during your divorce! Glad you made it through anyway :)

I have never had friends like the once I have now, they are my extended family! They can piss me off sometimes or say something that I find hurtful - but I KNOW that it is never intended as such! So really, I am lucky! It is quite a selfish choice having them as friends :) So if I cannot not see all the great things in them, when others and they themselves cannot do so, then I would not deserve them - cheesy I know, but it is the truth.