It Need Not Be So Poem by Michael Hopkins

Note: I wrote this poem this morning while out and about in town as I passed a young man on the sidewalk whom carried such a tremedous amount of sadness. Luckily, I had a pen and a small pack of Kleenex napkins in a small pocket of my backpack to write on before the words flew from memory. He was physically young, healthy and well trained but emotionally not so sound. This is often the case when I pass young people on the bike path or sidewalk. I don't mean to pry, just happens from time to time. I think it is just the old habits of growing up in a big city and the need to be alert and aware of one's surroundings along with my own heightened senses.

For whatever the reasons, we human beings carry our emotions long beyond their intended use. Sadness is natural and built into our coping and healing systems. It's intention I believe is to have a short life so we are open to the next incoming emotional experience which very well may be joyful. Even joy should not be carried so long for that would be unnatural also. Experience the emotions and let them go. In that way, we are open to all the emotional experiences when they occur. We have created such unnatural emotional, work and community structures that sickness and retard our growth and development rather than encourage and nurture us into stronger, more resilient and balanced human beings whom are ever evolving.

Lastly, I used the haiku method (5-7-5 form) of poetry writing since it can convey meaning that can be taken by the reader on many levels if done properly and besides, I like an economy of words in my poetry.

This poem was first published on my blog today, the 7th of July 2017. I do hope that you get what it is I am attempting to convey in the above poem.