This week has held a great deal of pain for our country, and for many of us personally. Some are bearing unimaginable costs for following their conscience. 

In moments like these, it feels especially important that we care for ourselves and for one another, to tend our communities and our creative spirits. I offer this haiku chain poem in that spirit.

Love, Jenny

Faith and Belief met

in the heart of a dark night

certain of the plan

“We must wait,” said one

“Without works, we’re dead,” said one

soon they came to blows
 

staunching bloody nose,

one said to the other one

“where did my hope go?”
 

the other replied

“it’s my hope you have stolen!”

nursing a black eye

(it had fled them both

for hope can only be where

two come together)

feeling forsaken

utterly misunderstood

and unjustly wronged
 

faith and belief sat

in the ruins of their plans

despair in their hearts
 

hurt (like joy) asks us

to look within ourselves and

listen to others

Faith blurts, “DO I know?”

Belief, “AM I just judgement?

they are listening

“Can’t doubt be righteous?”

asks Faith; “Can’t my opinions

just be?” asks Belief
 

“Why must I forswear,”

continues Belief, “those who

disagree with me?”
 

“Why must I,” said Faith

“Convince those who don’t agree 

with me that they’re wrong?”
 

Faith turned to Belief

“What if we only did what

we’d want done to us?”
 

“Then you’d live in Hope,”

cried the voice of Conscience

audible at last

When circumstances

make hope hard to hold onto

hold each other close

With Faith and Belief

Do as you’d have done to you

Hope will dwell with you