On a recent trip to Maine, my husband and I spent an afternoon at the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland. One of the exhibits, Re-Indigenizing Sacred Landscapes: From the Wigwam at Catawamkeag, included this graphic by Norma Randi Marshall, an indigenous artist and member of the Passamaquoddy, MHA Nation. (Sorry for the poor quality of the photo.)
For the first Round Up of July, Mary Lee challenged us to write “poems of protest for our nation’s birthday. Let’s use our voices and our art to make some noise! Feel free to write in praise of democracy and patriotism if you’re so moved, or write in frustration and befuddlement over the “leadership” in the White House and/or Congress and/or the courts and/or and/or and/or.“
I love the simple way Marshall presents the deeply complex ideas, so I decided to mine her words to create two opposing acrostics, one that offers hope, the other expressing the outrage I feel over the events of this week.
Respect: What It Isn’t
Reprehensible
Evasion of a
Sworn oath
Putting millions in peril,
Ensuring suffering,
Claiming lie after lie, incapable of
Telling the truth.
Respect: What It Is
Respectful relationships
Ensure our ability to
Sustain and
Protect our precious planet
Earth. It is our duty to
Care for our home and each other,
Treading lightly so we all can flourish.
© Catherine Flynn, 2025
Please be sure to visit Mary Lee for the Poetry Friday Roundup, then check our how my fellow Inklings responded to this challenge:
Heidi @ My Juicy Little Universe
Linda @ A Word Edgewise
Margaret @ Reflections on the Teche
Molly @ Nix the Comfort Zone
Reading to the Core 
Catherine, I love the opposing points—good reminders to be clear what is and what is not.
I was in Maine last week too ☺️
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Why I never remember to try an acrostic as a never-fails poetry form to work with I don’t know, but you’ve done it such justice here with your opposing definitions. Love the word ‘flourish’ as a green centric word for what both the planet and our society can do if respected. Thanks!
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Catherine, I love the opposing points—good reminders to be clear what is and what is not.
I was in Maine last week too ☺️
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Catherine, I love the opposing points—good reminders to be clear what is and what is not.
I was in Maine last week too ☺️
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Catherine, I love the two opposing points of view… It’s helpful in my rage to be clear about “what is” and “what isn’t”.
I was in Maine last week too ☺️
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Catherine, I love the two opposing points of view… It’s helpful in my rage to be clear about “what is” and “what isn’t”.
I was in Maine last week too ☺️
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We need to Reinforce those six Rs and Redouble our efforts to Reclaim the Right way to move forward from the “right.”
Love your compare/contrast poems. The first one is not the whole story. At all.
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What a great form–opposing acrostics. Treading lightly. Yes.
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How clever, how true. Opposing viewpoints is a really good take on expressing the vibe of our public square these days. “incapable of telling the truth.” I wish it wasn’t as tragic as that…but it is. It’s hard to fight lies. But, we must.
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Most seem to forgo their duty to those who were here before us as you’ve shown us words that resonate, two other R’s, reprehensible and respect – both we need to highlight, pay heed to. I love how you showed both, Catherine. Thanks for that background info.
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I so appreciate your contrasting poems. Your “what it is” only serves to highlight how much is wrong in the first poem. Love these.
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Catherine, your poem echoes that of the document you shared. “Treading lightly so we all can flourish. This line reminds me that America is made of many and all its people need to flourish. The real question is why is this not happening. Your brought this to mind. Thanks for the document that should be shared for all to ponder.
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Love the opposing acrostics, Catherine! Protest and hope together.
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Wow, Catherine, so these are found acrostic definitos/definition poems? What a powerful mashup!
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Your acrostics were a great idea, Catherine, and beautifully executed!
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Your acrostics were a great idea, Catherine, and beautifully executed!
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Hi, Catherine, not sure if my first comment went through! Love your acrostics, both the idea and the beautiful execution.
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I like your take on the acrostic showing both hope and outrage, hope we hold on to that hope and put some of it into action, thanks!
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