THAT'S your advice?

I find that well meaning people offer me advice regularly now, about how to get my life back together, how to get a new husband, how to be a single parent, how to function. Well, on just about anything from the size of my waist to the style of my hair. I'm feeling rather amused by some of it today, and glad I know whose report to believe.

I wrote a poem about it. Wanna hear it? Hear it go:

Thank you girl, for all that you told me
Well meaning advice that would definitely set me free:
Break out his windows, terrorize his trick
Set fire to his clothes, hit him hard in his upper lip
Don't let her have him, hold on to what's yours
He'll be back, things will be fine, y'all need to get on one accord
Are you gonna be there to bail me out of jail
when the police come and arrest my out-of-order tail?
Although you gave it from your heart, your advice equals
one big straight-up #fail

Thank you, boy, for all the comfort you provided
Dinner dates, Late night phone calls, til my angst had subsided
Thank you for pointing out to me what a fool he could be
While you were rubbing my shoulders to a Isley Brothers medley
But my answer is no, laying down will increase my problems, not fix this.
I need healing, not the Marvin Gay kind, so you won't be able to hit it.


Thanks, Sister Deaconess, for your gossiped prescription
I should take care of my 'business' and then maybe he would
focus his attention
at home,
where I need to stay sometimes and be a wife to that man.
Yeah I heard you, talking
loud as only you can.
Can you tell how sorry I am to let you down on your summation?
Just be glad I'm saved too, so I don't rare back and bash your face in.
I repent, what I meant
was
that your words don't ring true. I can tell
because
I don't see a husband running around you.


Thank you Pastor, and wise counsel,
for just taking your time
to listen to me, hear what was inside, and look hard at what I believe.
For praying with me, crying with me,
and holding me up while I reached higher
For holding me down on those days
when I seemed incredibly lost and so tired.
For covering my kids,
And holding their hands
While they gained understand
-ing
For bearing my cross when alone I walked
and the crowd ranted beside me.


Thank you God for never leaving me,
shaping me into more of what I can be
Moving me forward, giving me your Word
which manifested in earth all eyes with vision
can look upon and see
That
I am a survivor, nay a proverbial woman
walking in victory!

©Elizabeth Towns 2011