Mr. Rogers says
When there’s a
Tragedy
Calamity
Catastrophe
Disaster
To look for the helpers
Mr. Rogers says
That he likes me
Just the way I am
That I’m important
That it’s a good feeling to know I’m alive
That I’m his friend
And his neighbor
Mr. Rogers says
To share responsibility
To play
To make believe
To be kind
And, to look for the helpers
Mr. Rogers makes me feel
Less like a latch-key kid in 1978
And more like a free spirit at hokey pokey group skate:
Propping me up
Bearing all my weighty emotions
Enduring
Sustaining
A pillar
A foundational figure in my childhood
The best kind of support.
Like customized crutches or ivory columns
A strong verb; a noun
Not like weaker adjective supporters
-Support hose-
-Support bras-
-Support casts-
-Support systems-
-Supporting a political party-
-Supporting a cause-
Mr. Rogers was the salt of the earth
He was the light on a hill
Crooning from a magic tv box screen
Playing rerun after rerun,
He carried an entire generation on his shoulders—
Supporting the tender essence of childhood.
And now, he’s gone
An entire young generation
Trying to find their footing
Without the footer of Mr. Rogers
And maybe, it’s our turn
To be a neighbor
To be a friend
To be a helper
To be responsible
To play
To make believe and
To be kind
Maybe it’s our turn to burn our weak adjectives of support
And become strong verbs and nouns:
Enduring
Sustaining
Rising up as ivory columns
And customized cornerstones
For the children
For our grandchildren
To grow up past looking for the helpers
Until we are the helpers
To keep another from falling
To love our neighbor
To be kind, one to the other
To like the people in our lives just as they are
Maybe I could touch one soul
With the underpinning of love
So that they know they are important
And maybe, just maybe
They could do the hokey pokey
-With my full support-
Because they have a friend
A neighbor;
Because they have a helper
In me.
5.9.22
10pm
I have long loved Mr. Rogers and find his personal life and career to be fascinating. I like his style--especially the button-up cardigans and keds. If you are a survivor, and even if you're a regular person in a normal world-- I truly hope you are free to put your whole self in as you 'turn yourself around.' 'Cause that's what it's all about.
I wrote this poem in response to a 5-day writing prompt challenge offered by hope*writers. Day One Prompt: Support
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