In honor of International Women’s day, I have selected the powerful poetry of slam poet Katie Makkai. This was one of the first slam poems I found on YouTube after first discovering the art of slam poetry. This poem makes me redefine the word pretty, and recognize that there is so much more I will be.
Shawn Achor gives a powerful and amusing TED Talks on positive psychology and the way we view happiness and success as a society. His message: Reverse our current formula for happiness and success from “If I am successful, I will be happy” to “When I am happy, I will be more successful”.
I have to live with myself and so
I want to be fit for myself to know.
I want to be able as days go by,
always to look myself straight in the eye; I don’t want to stand with the setting sun
and hate myself for the things I have done.
I don’t want to keep on a closet shelf
a lot of secrets about myself
and fool myself as I come and go
into thinking no one else will ever know
the kind of person I really am,
I don’t want to dress up myself in sham.
I want to go out with my head erect
I want to deserve all men’s respect;
but here in the struggle for fame and wealth
I want to be able to like myself.
I don’t want to look at myself and know that
I am bluster and bluff and empty show.
I never can hide myself from me;
I see what others may never see;
I know what others may never know,
I never can fool myself and so,
whatever happens I want to be
self respecting and conscience free.
-Edgar A. Guest
Source: Inspirational Words of Wisdom
Before you speak, listen.
Before you write, think.
Before you spend, earn.
Before you invest, investigate.
Before you criticize, wait.
Before you pray, forgive.
Before you quit, try.
Before you retire, save.
Before you die, give.
-William Arthur Ward
Source: Inspirational Words of Wisdom
Send a drop of kindness,
And see a happy face.
A drop of kindness goes real far,
It may even reach outer space.
Send a drop of love,
And feel a loving embrace.
It feels so good to feel like,
You are in the right place.
Send a drop of hope,
But be that shinning star.
Hope is wonderful to have,
But sometimes you can’t sit away so far.
Send a drop of faith,
With a single prayer.
And God will show the way,
As faith is always there.
– Julie Herbert
Source: Inspirational Words of Wisdom
You look for an angel
Beautiful and stunning
You look for a goddess
Mysterious and cunning
You look for amazement
Perfection all around
Beauty bewitching
Lyric unsound
You wonder in stupidity
Across the world and ocean blue
Not seeing that your perfect girl
Is standing right in front of you
-Katie Rose Waechter
