(Lion of Judah – Sophie Wilkins)
Don’t take away my hope,
it isn’t yours to steal
Stop right there
Drop it!
Back away
Slowly
Keep your hands where I can see them.
Don’t take away my hope
with your “I’m so sorrys” and your pity eyes
with your “get your affairs in order, and line up your ducks 1-2-3”
Oh I’ll line them up alright and shoot their bloody heads off.
BANG BANG BANG
With your “we’re running out of options” that leads me up a cul de sac,
that switches off the light and leaves me groping in the dark
while the walls press in.
Who are you to decide if I have a right to hold onto hope?
That ineffable essence that Miss Emily D once upon a time called
“that thing with feathers that perches on the soul”
YOU may give up on me , YOU may down tools, it may be job done for YOU
But I do not see my life in A to Z .
I don’t want to fit in your box where life is limited by the limitations of your linear
expectations.
I do not want to fit into a box full stop.
For when you strip away hope from the hopeless there is no life.
And life is more than flesh and breath
Spread the wings and step outside and you will see
possibilities of love and joy and magic and a rising sun and all that
resides in the name of hope.
Maya told us she knew why the caged bird sings,
and now I do too
For you may cage me up in your story of finality,
But I have the key that opens the door from time to time into the halo of divine grace
where I can shelter from the storm.
And I remember nights so golden when the full moon beamed
to light my way
across the desolate moor so I did not stray from the path into danger,
shone as bright as day she did.
And I remember stars so twinkle twinkle
from a billion years away
pinprick beacons like watchful eyes and fireflies
blinking at me like they blinked at my ancestors in days gone by and by.
Highways and skyways
And how they sang to me of how it is, and how it was, and how it shall be
That we are perfect, that all is perfect and exactly as it is meant to be in the
texture and tapestry of all time,
And that we matter no more nor less than we do,
But less than we think we do.
And that matter does not matter
That we are come and we are gone
That we are part of it all and part of nothing
Joined in union eternally where beginnings and endings are just how it is meant to be.
And you and I are but a blink of an eye.
And all that I love
and where it has the grace to fall and be received – is all the hope I need
for it is as true as your fear is false.
I am sad for you, not mad at you
and I stand up and claim it back.
And the ancestors whisper in the trees
that we are all just here to become a memory.
As I look up
the skies are raining feathers
I watch and I watch
as patience rewards
and
one fine feather drifts down and perches on my soul.
Something beginning with C 
Truly beautiful, Leah.
“Oh I’ll line them up alright and shoot their bloody heads off…” So mote it be 🙂 x
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SISTER STAN wrote
“Hope is stubborn. It has the ability to accept strength and weakness. It is not arrogant; neither is it modest. Hope is daring, courageous; it has the audacity to reach a hand into darkness and come out with a handful of light.”
Keep your hope alive beautiful Leah – no one has the right to take it away from you …..let that feather perch gently on your soul. You are a gifted writer as well as a glorious soul…..
From Romans: 5:3-4 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we now that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope.
You have enough character for the whole wide world. Hope begins in the dark…..follow the light love and hugs Kay xxx
>
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Love this Leah, the meaning of life is that it is ,a meaning and it goes on forever keep doing what you do best you believe xx
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‘Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness’ – Archbishop Desmond Tutu
‘Hope and Fear cannot occupy the same space at the same time,invite 1 to stay’ -.Maya Angelou
Namaste Leah, the bird always sings inside you !
Your writing conveys a strength that originates in your soul and that’s where hope lives too,never allow others to steal your hope,it’s yours,a divine gift that must never be surrendered.
Equally powerful is the sharing of hope and love that is being sent to you from so many.
David,Jill xx
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Much in here resonates with me and will stay to comfort me. I’m not big into hope myself (a trickster to me) but the ancestors whispering, the stepping out..so much is eternal and temporal, it’s our perspective and attitude and you’ve enriched mine- thank you my cancer buddy, thank you for sharing your time, energy, experience and gifts – you have made me feel less alone in this and a new found friend I got to sit and be with- I look forward to all the posts you care to make and can – sending all my support and gratitude
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Keep your face always towards the sunshine -and the shadows will fall behind you (Walt Whitman) and all my love xxx
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Your the lion keep up the fight,
Don’t let these white feather rain on you in fight ..
Stay strong stay focused ..
And keep up the fight .
Much love Leah
Sharon xxx
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wow that is lovely, I believe so much in hope and positivity its what keeps me going in my own journey with this disease. Stay strong lovely lady, I love reading your posts, you send some much love and it makes me feel like we all travel together. Lots of love xx
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Truly gifted and beautiful soul you are. We all love you x
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Cancer. A new friend to me. I’m supposed to be afraid of you.
Well you owe your existence to me fella.
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Hi, did you see this amazing story? X
https://dailym.ai/2LCk6O0
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I’ve only just discovered your blog.
This is such a wonderfully powerful piece of writing and really strikes a chord with me. I too feel this way and now I know I’m not ‘in denial’ of my condition. Thank you so much Leah xx
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