Explore the Poetry of Anne Marie Offer, and catch a glimpse into the way she views the ever-changing world around her…

A HAT

Oh the LADIES in their Sunday finery.
Ascot in England Has nothing on these WOMEN
of HARLEM
on their way to Praise and Worship.

They Honor their lives
their being
in their appearance
their Style.
They exude pure DIGNITY, Self-Respect, Honor and FREEDOM.
FREEDOM from the History of abuse, misuse, use
FREEDOM from being a possession.

SELF-Empowerment was the power needed to move
these lives from the Distraction of Ego

WHITE EGO!
You Can Take That and STICK IT
Cause you’ll never have
the HOLD
the CHAINS
the SHACKLES
over these WOMEN any more.

They have Found their Strength in FAITH
in PRAYER
And
in SONG.
Their “Great Greats” had to Hang on to Hope and BELIEVE
in the DIVINE
Order of LIFE
that they were EQUAL
if not SUPERIOR
to those who tried to blow out their FLAME
their Passion.
An impossible mission
PASSION IS PASSION!
LIFE is PASSION!

So these Lovely Ladies, these WOMEN among WOMEN
Honor themselves and their
ANCESTORS
At their call to Worship.
It’s a beautiful thing to observe
It’s a beautiful thing to know these individuals
CAN RISE and MOVE FORWARD.
In spite of Who or What tries to
drag them into the WORLD of
darkness, disregard, disrespect, disenfranchised, displaced, disgruntled
You can not DIS these WOMEN
Cause they’re ALL HOOKED UP.
You couldn’t BLOW UP their SPOT of you tried.
they have self-respect and human dignity as their guide,
Resulting in Pride.
These WOMEN are ROYAL as they make their way to Worship.
All the History
The Mystery
Floods in
We must Never forget
What we brought us to where WE ARE.
These WOMEN are our call to Recognize, Acknowledge, Honor
And keep in Check
Respect of Self and Others.
WE ARE moving FORWARD
Get with the program
NO ONE will Keep US down again.

Never give YOUR power away
Use it to heal you,
Your family, your neighbors, your community, your country,
your nation, your world, and the Universe.

Cause what these Hats
these WOMEN who sport these HATS
Represent
Is a RESURRECTION of LIFE!

THEY RIIISSSSE!!!!

We must remember many that have yet to find the way
to RISE!!!
As Ego Power Driven begins continue to
Stamp out
LIFE.
Yet there is hope the
Sun will Rise!
It’s Sunday and signs of a New Day and
Life Rising is EVERYWHERE.
Who Knew all that
Could be embodied in a
HAT?

Anne Marie Offer
6/10/20




Never Ever  Bump
Saturday AM  60^th Street
I am walking from the gym
I hear wailing from  a  stroller 
inconsolable  it  seems
A child about 4 in the stroller 
knees up Wailing
Mom tries to console 
between the wails and tears
  “I always bump into thing”
“I WISH I NEVER NEVER, NEVER,
     NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER,
BUMPED IN TO THINGS!!!!”
This was a 20 second eye opener
metaphor for my life
I wish I never bumped into
walls, cabinets, people, emotions,  
obstacles, negativity, health issues 
      anger, death….. 
Conflict with landlords, Co-workers,
  students, friends, family
      BUMPING HEADS
BUMPING in to self, the negativity,
low self esteem, arrogance,
 righteousness, judging,  
needing to be right, the willfulness  
 and  all the  mental gymnastics.
So I concur 
  with the little girl in 
the stroller having  a wail
(high maintenance moment)
an owey, a bump that left her  
with
I WISH I NEVER ,NEVER, NEVER,
     NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER,
BUMPED IN TO THINGS!!!!”
But that wish is for NEVERLAND
Life is full of bumps  along the way,
it‘s  how  we  survive, manage,
navigate  and  grow from them.
“Love to miss the Bumps on one hand
    but little one (miss)
    Bring on the bumps and know you
grow from each and everyone.
The alternative to never bumping 
is a pretty dull existence(not living)
every bump doesn’t create  a  boobo
 The bumpy ride of Life can have
    great surprises along the  way.
  
Anne Marie Offer
  6/19/15

  Hold Fast
Hold Fast to my Mentor-Ever Present Mentor
Time and Space Continuum
Bonds cannot be Severed
Guiding  me Forever
      Seeds Planted
I continue sowing
   In the Spirit of my 
The Circle  of Happiness
Humanity, Human Revolution
Begins a new  and grows 
in others as  we  sow the seeds  of
Peace, Joy, Hope, Appreciation, Human Dignity
  Replying to my(our) Mentor’s 
     Spirit
    Brings this to an
         Expansive Reality
          Today and Ever  
          FORWARD! 
                                        
Anne Marie Offer
           8/3/2023

*As I was preparing for August Study Meeting presentation thinking about Ikeda Sensei 
relationship with Mr. Toda and  how he holds his mentor
ever Present  I jotted the 1^st sentence to use as a point for the study 
but  my pen and life just could stop writing about the mentor disciple relationship that flows through all.