Humanist Voices in Verse: Be Not the Tumbleweed
This week’s poem is by Sue Daiza. She is a business owner and resides in Troy, Michigan, with her husband and daughter. With her poem, she shared the following letter:
As a result of my long self-deprogramming process, I am proud to say that I have finally arrived at the point of being a fully liberated thinker. I was raised in a very conservative Christian environment by my mother. I never really bought all the hocus pocus of it, but was not allowed to question any of it either. It took many years—well into my 50s actually, to finally shed enough of the guilt to get on with pursuing, and finding, the logical, realistic, scientific and satisfying answers to those questions.
Twenty years ago, I would not have been able to come to the positive conclusions that I have today based on the proven science which is available to me. The information highway has been flooded with indisputable evidence (in my mind) that finally validates what I always thought: The Bible is nothing but fables. It is amazing how many people I know who still just go with it blindly!
So, when I found the American Humanist Association, I was so happy to finally be able to link myself, in some way—even though remotely—to like-minded folks who actually get it! Until recently I felt very alone in my non-belief. Now I have found a great community in which to share thoughts and concerns; who seems to want to make the world a better place at the same time.
Keep up the good work and I hope we can all find ways to somehow convince the vast majority of people in this world, that they just have it wrong! Take off the blinders, people!
If you’d like to contribute original poetry to Humanist Voices in Verse, write to hnn@americanhumanist.org with “Poetry” in the subject line. Please send no more than three poems for consideration per week.
Be Not the Tumbleweed
Dreamers dream of a distant shore; a land of hope, a forever more.
Where love never fades and smiles are made; where glass is like diamonds and streets are of jade.
Oh how we yearn for that something more; were it not just fables, of myth and lore?
As tumbleweed rolls neither far nor near; the mortal life follows but do we veer?
Do we know we have thoughts that were put there by others?; squelching our own, like a vice they are smothered.
Be they false or be they skewed; to question not, for most, rings true.
Controlled by the wind the tumbleweed flails; such is our mind, as it often derails.
Like the bird in the sky just knows how to fly; it’s part of a flock, and follows close by.
Our minds are the same, our thoughts are contained; by the actions of those who lure with no shame.
Comfort we find being led by the blind; leaves a void in our being, and a hole in the mind.
To follow is easy as most of us do; but to think for ourselves is liberating and new.
The answers are clear if we only could see; open your mind to all you can be.
—Sue Daiza