The last two years our International Affairs Seminar groups have had the opportunity to study with a poet for 90 minutes during the second seminar day in Washington DC as a way of processing what they have learned and seen so far.  Participants create their own poetry and prose then share those words with the group.  Some have offered their words for publication.

new year new me

by Tabitha Phillips (First Christian Church Sulphur)

how can you say new year new me when it’s only a new year but a same year.
how can you go into a new year while are sons and daughters are being sold and our brothers and sisters of different backgrounds are being put down.
how can you say new year new me.
how can you help ruin the lives of others and let it slide or go undetected, how can you beat those who frees you and leave those who need you.
how can you say new year new me.
how can you be apart of groups who hate instead of groups who love, how can you treat people so poorly yet say you need them, you love them.
how can you say new year new me.
maybe you say it to be like everyone else, maybe it’s only lust of greed, maybe you crave that change, the thought of a new person. but how can you say you’ll do better by only saying new year new me.

I am a Christian
by Beth Felkner (First Christian Church Norman)

I am a Christian
“Oh so you hate me?” they say
I question why
Then I see the pain in their eyes

Years of rejection
Painful reflection
“You’re going to hell”
Say, “you’ll never live well”
And that rages my soul
In my heart puts a hole
That is not Christian

But I am a Christian
God calls me to justice
I see this, I must this
Still so much work to be done, so much love to be

Looking for love
So the Bible we hold
But it’s hate we read of
Til we say “we’re done”

There’s Amnons among us
Try to bring down and shun us
But I am a Christian
I am not
Til God’s love has won

She is Someone
by Rev. Shannon Cook (First Christian Church Norman)

She is someone.
She is someone’s daughter, sister, niece, friend, beloved.

She is someone.
She is not an object, commodity, product, punching bag, receptacle, pin cushion.

She is someone.
She is someone’s hope, light, joy, hero, inspiration, love.

She is someone.
She is not forgotten, blamed, irreparably broken, dismissible.

She is someone.
She is created by God in God’s image, loved and accepted beyond measure, a vital part of creation, worthy of respect.

She is someone.
Who was she to you?
Who is she to you?
Who will she be to you?

Brothers and Sisters
by Bart Hanna (First Christian Church Norman)

I, don’t know what to write.
My brain has been opened for a fight.
With knowledge comes anger, and the urge to smite.
Because what we do to our brothers and sisters is not right.

Their struggles and toils go mostly unseen,
We benefit from their labor and think them disgusting and unclean.
Because what we do to our brothers and sisters is obscene.

What can I do, I am just one man?
How can I help other see this isn’t God’s plan?
I will speak up and out, I will make changes grand,
Because what we do to our brother and sisters is such a sham.

These Christians
R. Kayeen Thomas (poet)
A poem created from Mr. Thomas’ listening to all the poetry and prose read by IAS participants, March 19, 2019

These Christians, these Christians dodge hate birthed on misunderstanding.
These Christians, these Christians stand on new ground during New Year’s and declare themselves different.
These 38 feet seem so far away looking behind at the you you’ve outgrown,
Hearing cries that you can’t answer and questions you can’t answer.
When being you is its own rebellion you just smile.
You swing punches with your grin and your love may hurt but you keep on.
You stop for no one.
When five minutes equals a lifetime, and you wear your guilt like sackcloth, sometimes there are no words and heroes hide away.
But these sisters are people.  They are somebody despite the despair the traffic brings.
When will we be fed up enough to be stoplights, to break apart the traffic piece by piece?
When will we see God’s image in their tears and know our friends are falling and catch them?