VoicesNet.com Recent Poems of Elizabeth Padillo Olesen - Copyright for all poems displayed belong to author

March On by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

9/9/2009

We are brothers, we are sisters
on this earth the Lord has given
We share one hope, one common joy
We are here to see the light of dawn.

Chorus:
March on, move now
Break the barriers down
Language and culture,
race and color
should not keep us apart
We are one people
in God`s one world
equipped with the armour to love.

We are brothers, we are sisters
of whichever land we come from
We can join our hands together
just because we know that God is real.

Chorus...

We are men, women and children
of all ages in our own time
Let`s march forward to build bridges
as community of God`s great love.

Chorus:
March on, move now
Break the barriers down
Language and culture,
race and color
should not keep us apart.
We are one people
in God`s one world
equipped with the armour to love.

(P.S. This is one piece I composed for a choir. I was happy to be able to gather friends from different ethnic background to sing this piece during the conference of the Intercultural Center in Copenhagen. I am pleased to share this piece with the voicesnet community with members who represent different cultures and nationalities.)

Obama, Obama, Barack Obama by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

9/21/2009

Obama, Obama, Barack Obama

Obama, Obama,Obama
a title of struggle and hope
you, an immigrant
you, a father
you, a husband
and a citizen of the country
you have settled into.

Obama, Obama,Obama,
a name of a stranger
a name of nobody,
and yet have managed to be...
You the common man from a common family
have emerged to be a great somebody.

Obama, Obama,Obama,
the children recíte your name.
Obama, Obama, Obama,
the youth adore your tongue.
Obama, Obama,Obama,
the forgotten lay their hope.
The powerful stretch and extend their hands.

Obama, Obama,Obama,
be the person that you are.

(written after the US election,2008)

Support for the Iraqi Asylum Seekers by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

9/2/2009

My senses are awakened. My heart is deeply touched. Tears fall down my cheeks as I watch the throng of people, staging demonstration against the political decision of sending the 22 Iraqi refugees back to their war torn land Iraq. They are part of those who sought refuge in Brorson Church from the month of May after having received the verdict on rejection of their plea for asylum. They are Christians and Muslims finding the church as their last refuge to plea for help. They received support from Christian and non Christian friends. From the month of May until August the local church of Brorson became their church asylum. But in the middle of the night on the 13th of August they were driven out by the police force. And this morning the political will of driving them out won.

Today, 22 of them, the first group, were ordered to leave the ports of Denmark with few dollars in their wallets as help for their survival in their own country. News leaked that 5 of them were arrested as they landed in Iraq.

Today marches of people are seen in different cities, marking their strong opposition to the political decision of sending out these Iraqi refugees who have waited long to find asylum in Denmark. Tonight thousands of Danes, immigrants, young and old, march their way from the Immigration office to the Church where these rejected Iraqi refugees once sought asylum. And news reveals that other demonstrations are also going on in the other cities in the country. Tonight at nine in the evening is the call to all symphathizers to light a candle on their window, to mark the common support and symphathy for the rejected Iraqi asylum seekers.

I cry because I can see that these demonstrations tonight display the face of our common humanity, that is, that we are people with the ability to cry and feel for those who are in deep trouble,the ability to question the law of the land, when the act of mercy is subdued by mere logic in the mind. Tonight the demonstrations in support for the rejected Iraqi asylum seekers reflect the conscience of our common humanity,the conscience that should be ready to help when we are in the position to help. The story of the Great Samaritan which is a call for our human conscience is resounding loudy in these street demonstrations tonight. Light a candle on your window tonight.

Nuclear Testing by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

9/17/2009

Nuclear Testing

Nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands
Nuclear tests in the Soviet`s Kazakhstan
A mushroom of clouds
from the ground and the ocean
leaves a never ending legacy
of disfigured faces,
of mothers with jellyfish babies,
of graves from cancerous tumors
in the human bodies,
and the continuing horror
of the rays of atomic tests.

Nuclear tests in their horror
and legacy will forever dwell
in the memory of our fragile humanity.

Sheer Egoism at Ramasola by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

9/13/2009

Who else would not love his own image?
Even the crude Narcissius loved himself
in a pool of water.

We feed and worship our image
from the crude shadows in the still waters
to the bright reflections of the silver mirrors
and to the wise manipulations over the lenses
of the camera men.

We pose and change suits
giggle at the transfer of life
into the shiny papers and borrowed colors,
tailor our dead sizes,
enlarge these still-pictures
in frames and hang them on walls.

We pay the high cost of joy
of our tailored image
stamped on papers and tucked on wood,
kissed by glasses and adhesives.

And never will the price alter
the rising and ebbing tide
of the ego`s worship
to our own human form.

Sheer Egoism at Ramasola by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

9/13/2009

Fear To Love by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

9/12/2009

There is cold silence
between man and woman
silence that severs
the marrow of their own bones.

There is disgust
and anger between man and woman
disgust and anger
that cripple their passion¨
to celebrate the presence
of each other.

There is fear in cold silence
There is fear in disgust and anger
the deathly fear of being rejected,
the fear to love
the fear of losing the other.

To the Fallen Victims at Omagh (Ireland) by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

9/1/2009

One more bomb
planted in the heart of town
ate you up in flames
as children, women and men.

One more bomb
dislodged from fists
plastered by hate
shuts up the door of freedom
long time been waged.

One more bomb
planted in the heart of town
builds up the artillery
for more revenge and death.

But the fallen victims of Omagh
cannot rest in peace
if their deaths should
remain meaningless
for the march for peace.

(written after the bombing)

Pastoring A Church by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

9/1/2009

Pastoring a church
is sheepherding the flock
like a shepherd
looking for a lost lamb
among the flock of 100.

Pastoring a church
is rescuing the flock
from devouring wolves
from the cares that exhaust faith
from despair that brings no hope.

Pastoring a church
is living in servanthood
wearing the cloak of Jesus
of loving, serving
laughing, rebuking
and giving one`s life.

Images of Hunger by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

8/9/2009

A child weeps on
the bamboo floor
while mother
looks at the empty pot.

Father comes home
from the storm
stooping
like his lonely boat.

MOSQUE ON THE GROUND ZERO? by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

8/29/2010

Once there stood high up in the sky
a World Trade Center of elegance
and pride, toppled down by arrogance,
spreading seeds of terror in all lands.

Now the Ground Zero stands, lonely
and crushed, bearing the mark
of those more than 3000 lives
who were toppled down in quick seconds.

Now comes a plan to build a mosque
On the zero ground, a holy mosque
that takes time to be dissociated from the
ghosts of the Islamic heroes of arrogance.

Let the ghosts of those more than 3000 dead
And the voices of their own living loved ones
decide on what should spring out
from the Ground Zero.

Drought by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

8/29/2009

These are indifferent times
indifferent season of the year
when heaven doesn`t send rain
and the land looks up the sky.

The farmers look back the year
of green and harvest and see
the thirst of land and its dying life
Now they hope on the absolute grace
that should come from above.

Pray, pray for rain
Pray, pray for rain
or else there`s no food for man
"Pray, pray for rain", said the farmers
"Or else there`s no food for man
Our food and life depend on
the showers of grace from heaven".

And the Rain Fell by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

8/29/2009

Dispersed and candy like
they moved and formed together
into black clouds in solid lining
that covered the face of the sun
and assured the earth
protection from the burning heat.

And they fell like big balls
knocking down the lonely rooftops
entering into the farmers` lonely jugs
clay jars, cans and plastic galloons
or into their cemented tanks
and down into the dying fields.

And the children ran and danced
ran and danced under the rain
as if it was their first time to be cleansed
and the farmers looked at their risen fields
their ploughs and their buffaloes
and the mothers like lotus flowers
folded their hands, looked at the sky
and offered their thanks.

To My Beloved Husband by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

8/29/2009

I want to love you
as if today is my last day to love you.

I want to say the nice things
about you as if today is my last day
to say them out loud to you.

I want to care for our kids
as if today is my last chance
to watch them grow.

Give me the chance to love you today
Give me the chance to open up
the goodness of my heart before you.

Give me the chance during this,
my last day, to feel the beauty
of being a mother to our kids
and a wife to you.

Let me love you today
as if today is my last day.

Cries of a Child by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

8/29/2009

In the bosom of a mother
a child is cradled
How much more joy is there
with the father
touching the soft skin
and fingers of this child,
this child, his own flesh and blood?

In the bosom of a mother
in the playful touch of a father
how much more can we speak
of security for this child?

But the child cries
and still cries until
the reasons for crying are found out
until the needs of this child
are satisfied.

We all air out our cries
of a little child
for where else is security
except in God?

Jesus, the Lord, An Agent of Change by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

8/28/2010

From darkness to light
by the Lord of Freedom

From disease to wholeness
by the Restorer of Life

From despair to hope
by the Lord of Courage

From fear to trust
by the Lord of Grace

From hatred to love
by the Lord of Forgiveness

From poverty to abundance
by the Lord of Generosity
and Loving Hospitality.

_______________
Written. KOVA family summer camp at Sydvestjyllands EfterSkole, Bramming
August 27-29, 2010

Transcendence by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

8/26/2009

Once in our lifetime we celebrate
life in laughters and in joy,
at another time, the celebration
comes like a weeping over a bitter cup
Then again, we yearn for wholeness
that which we call, the original state.

What is it beyond our bodies
we want to migrate?
What is it beyond our minds
we want to grasp?
What is it within us
that is so restless?
What is beyond our time and space?

Is it that makes life mortal, immortal?
Is it that makes finitude, an infinity?
Is it an eternity that calls us
beyond rubles or bitter cups?
Is it God within and beyond us?

Despair and Hope by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

8/26/2009

On earth
there`s not an easy task
for even if
I sow a healthy seed
the breaking of its flesh
I cannot escape.

I ask Him to withhold
this breaking
this dying
for a little while
for a little while
or else, I`d be consumed.

Ah, Christ, do you smile?

Speak To Me, O Lord by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

8/24/2009

Speak To Me, O Lord
Give me the calmness of your spirit

God, speak to my inner being
Give me the calmness of your spirit
that I may take up the course in life
without running and gasping.

Give me the calmness of your spirit,O Lord,
to be able to cry when life hurts
but without giving up the hope in you.

Give me the calmness of your spirit,O Lord,
that I may not seek to prove what I can
to be affirmed of my own worth.

Deliver me,O Lord,
from the self-seeking nature.

Deliver me,O Lord,
from the stress and hazzles
of surviving and striving.

Speak to my inner being,dear God,
that I may find your peace
and purpose in living
that I may find my worth
as your child
without running the hectic race
to compete for greatness.

A Man Without A Name by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

8/24/2009

I see him often along the street
of Kolding Train Station
A black man with his curly hair
that seems not to have been washed in years
A man with no smile on his dirty face
A man with a bottle of beer on his lips
and a lighted cigarett
between his finger tips.

What is he doing
along the open road
while others are hurrying
to their place of work?
Why is he having much time to spare
while others claim they
don`t have time and run with stress?

What is he doing along the open road
while others would rather hide
in the comforts of their gold?

What is this lost man doing in an open road,
when he stands without a name,
a story to tell, honour and shame?

Why do we find many more like him
without their names, who find the open streets
as their home to dwell?