I Hate, I Love
I Hate, I Love
I started to write this poem when I was feeling really down and depressed. We had just heard the news that my wife’s older brother had just passed away from a brain tumor (diagnosed only six weeks ago). Every line began with “I hate..”, but about ten lines in I realised I needed to stop the pity party and we have a lot to be thankful for, so I began to write verses beginning with “I love..” to counteract what I had already written. The result was that by the end I was feeling much better.
I hate death,
I hate dying,
I hate greed ,
I hate crying.
I love life,
I love living,
I love generosity,
I love giving.
I hate sadness,
I hate to grieve,
I hate cruelty,
I hate thieves.
I love smiles,
I love gaiety,
I love kindness,
I love charity.
I hate distress,
I hate abuse,
I hate bullying,
What’s the use?
I love nature,
I love caring,
I love the world,
I love sharing.
I hate war,
I hate injustice,
I hate killing,
I hate prejudice.
I love equality,
I love peace,
I love God,
That won’t cease.
I hate egos,
I hate crime,
I hate boasting
All the time.
I love family,
I love friends,
I love sunsets
At day’s end.
I hate sexism,
I hate lying,
I hate busybodies
Prying.
I love joy,
I love laughter,
I love happiness
Forever after.
Now I find myself branching out and experimenting with short fiction, and thoroughly enjoying this, especially flash fiction.
I have been fortunate to have two poems made into songs and recorded. The first "On the Road to Kingdom Come" by Al Wordlaw, and the second, "If I Could Write a Love Poem" by award-winning Israeli/British singer Tally Koren.
My services increasingly in demand as a freelance writer and I have ghost-written the text for a number of children's books and educational tutorials.
It has taken me many years of searching and restlessness to realise that my life's passion is to write. It saddens me that I wasted so many years not devoting to that, but thinking positively, the experiences gained over those years are now wonderful material for my stories and poems.
I want to try to bring a new focus on poetry and try to make it appealing to a new generation of young people and those who thought they never liked or understood it before.
- The First Word – A Flash Fiction Story - January 18, 2024
- Dawns Song ~ and Twilight Serenade - December 1, 2023
- Weave Me a Story - June 15, 2023
Thanks for sharing that with the world John. It makes me thankful.
Thanks, Eric. I appreciate your friendship and support.
Nice contrast, John. I’m sorry for your loss but glad that by the end you were feeling better.
Thank you, William. I am ok.
Sorry for your loss John. Better always to love than hate. Hate makes us sick in so many ways. Glad you got it all off your chest. I loved your rant and rhyme too.
Vincent, thanks for the condolences. Yes, hate just makes us sick. There are much more important things to concentrate on and I am going to concentrate on the things I love. I just needed to get it off my chest.
You are in my thoughts, John. Take care and let love heal the sorrow.
Thank you, Phyllis. Yes, love will heal the pain.
John, while reading all the things you hate, I found they are the same things I hate. It is not wrong to hate injustice or racism as long as we speak-out. The wrong comes when we remain still and look the other way. The key, for me is to not let hate feelings fester, making me ill. I’m glad you ended your poem with love. I’m sorry for your loss. Writing always helps me through a difficult time. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for reading this, Ruby, and for the supportive comment. Some people say we shouldn’t hate..but I think you need to, to be able to stand against those things. As long as you do it for the right reasons. Love always wins out in the end though and is what you need to try to focus on the majority of the time. Writing does help.
What a wonderful idea John,
We all need more of this. Remembering that with loss there can be gain. Love always the victor over misery. Glad I saw this piece. I liked the layout as well it was nice to move into a color from all the blackness. Well done, and my sincere condolences.
Best,
Mel
Thanks for reading this, Mel. It was a dark time for us and I was feeling down, but trying something a little different with this helped to cheer me up. Glad you liked the setting out and addition of colour.
You know John, I think many times we feel guilty to feel love or happiness when someone dies but as you experienced it is a must to go on in life and what better way to remember someone as through love. Great inspiration you had and may it inspire others to look at both sides.
Thank you, Jackie. I know love will always win out. I hope this does inspire others.
There are so many things about the world we hate. Yet, despite all the misery, we still love. Beautifully expressed, John. My condolences to you and your family on your loss.
Dana, thank you for the condolences and wise and encouraging words. Bless you.
Death is something I can never understand and often wonder why such things happen. Sorry for your loss. Well penned.