A couple weeks ago we had a poetry night at the farm. We sat outside on a Sunday evening, sharing bread, cheese, wine, and poems-original and not.

Samson, an intern from Ghana, shared a poem he had written. I really appreciated his poem, so I asked for a copy of it:

WHAT DO YOU STAND FOR
It is dangerous not to have what you stand for
Whether it is food or drink
Have what you stand for
Whether it is religious or intellectual belief
Have what you stand for
Whether it is singleness or marriage
Have what you stand for
Whether it is about life or death
Have what you stand for

Develop a conviction not just an opinion
Opinion is what you hold
But conviction is something that holds you
You will argue about your opinion
But you will be ready to suffer for your conviction & if necessary die for it.
Your conviction might not make you popular
Your conviction might even earn you undesirable names
So should that make you succumb?
No. Never
Develop a conviction
What do you stand for?
For if you do not stand for anything
You will fall for anything

Convictions are hard to come by nowadays. I'm in the process of developing my own. I'm reading Muhammah: A Prophet For Our Time to better understand others' convictions.

So that's that.

Reason 1: I've already written in here once today (I've had a lot of time on my hands)

Reason 2: I ate lunch alone today at Memorial

Reason 3: While eating lunch, I wrote a poem.

Reason 4: That poem is about an omelette

Reason 5: I'm about to show that poem to you.

red tomatoes
green peppers
salsa and cheese
eating alone
for all to see
ain't no one here
but my omelette and me
and salt and pepper
my mind set free
no conversation
to tie it down
no small talk
to hinder its bound
no vocal chords movin'
no smile nor frown
just no one here
but my omelette and me
red tomatoes
green peppers
salsa and cheese

now we're halfway done
with each bite, it disappears
like moments in a day
months into years
miles under car
hair in the sink
lead on this paper
ice into my drink
ain't no one here
but my omelette and me
red tomatoes
green peppers
salsa and cheese

now my omelette's gone
I'm really on my own
sitting at a table
exposed and alone
but those eggs are inside
fueling my drive
they will give me energy
help me to survive

ain't no one inside
but my omelette and me
red tomatoes
green peppers
salsa and cheese

It will be my new hit single.

There was actually also mushrooms in my omelette, but that didn't really go with the rhythm.