~tears* Poem by Adeline Foster

~tears*

Rating: 5.0


~ Tears *

Somewhere a mother weeps for her lost child;
Her heart is cloaked in desperate tears.
Bless those tears, for were those tears denied
The cruelest act on earth would kinder be.
Those silent tears would wend their way on high,
There to scream aloud a mothers agony.
Disgrace to all mankind would be implied
Before the seat of highest majesty.
What fools men are who scorn the humble tear,
For lost to them is loves humility.
His love is scant who lives retentive fear;
His sympathy is dulled whose eye is dry;
His heart is dead whose shame is in a tear;
For did the greatest man on earth not cry?
Can greater proof of love be found than this?
To shed a tear for suffering or success
Reveals a knowledge that all wise men know:
Success is not the platform at the pinnacle attained
Success is every footstep on the rocky path below.
His life is lonely whose tears he cannot share,
The one whose tears for others cannot flow.
Spare me the strength of men who cannot bear
The suffering of another's heart exposed.
Dead trees whose hallow hearts have been disguised
And hidden in the pretext of their strength,
Unknowing that herein their weakness lies,
And lost to them all that tears represent.


*Written after a newscast of a lost boy, Nov.1981.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
James Mclain 20 April 2009

Equally Lisa below me but is always above is right..the boy could be me...no one ever explained..how my leg became lame when I was small...I try to catch all your poems..is their any way you could help me with my Englishes..commas, and stuff>> :) ..you are the best when disarmed.. :)

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Edward Kofi Louis 08 September 2016

Bless those tears! ! Thanks for sharing this poem with us.

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Joseph Anderson 11 September 2012

Your poetry makes me want to keep trying to attain your level. Much depth, but understandable- so even and balanced, with smooth flow. You are my inspiration

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Saadat Tahir 24 December 2011

…The cruelest act on earth would kinder be. Those silent tears would wend their way on high, … beautiful lines...tahnx! Fully the kinda poetry that i so appreciate...it has the balance and old world charm that I so identify with. This IS poetry. it is done like it should be, and not what we are increasingly seeing here...jumbled up ideas on personal loss and skewed romance. bravo...loved it....simply very good. be happy...and happy xmas to you. :)

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Kyrsten Gaddis 08 June 2009

I love this poem. Very deep. and the inspiration was great-kyrsten

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Kale Beaudry 20 April 2009

'Success is every footstep on the rocky path below.' How very, very true. Incredibly deep, made me think.

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Adeline Foster

Adeline Foster

Instructor of poetry, Hagerstown, MD
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