Respect..

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p style=”text-align:justify;”>To get respect from everyone I know is quite hard. Some people just don’t agree with my life, and they just try to demean it. True, I can’t keep everyone happy; I may not have got to a height that my qualifications might deserve, but I am some place on the way, and happy with where I am. The least they can do is accept that I have taken and am taking risks, and I am trying than shoot darts for every wrong step I take. It hurts more when one of them is my family, and that he demands respect without giving me any.

Written in the form, “Dorsimbra”, for One Single Impression, where the prompt at their 176th week is Respect, and also for Carry On Tuesday‘s 113th Week, where the prompt gives me part of my penultimate line.

To get respect, you must respect my life,
My roads are right, to me, from where I stand;
I may just fall, from the edge of this knife,
But I follow instincts, please understand.

I know you care, but to strangle dreams
Is it right? How can I fly with chains?
Let me breathe, so I can make you proud
Of who I am; don’t always find my wrongs

What you once were, I cannot mimic now
I maybe your blood, but not reflection
Father; little I ask, my wants are few
To get respect, you must respect my life

© Leo 10/July/2011

Poetry & writing are to me, a breath of fresh air in a life that is sometimes covered by the smoke of sorrow or self doubt. They also become the sweets I share to celebrate when life offers me a reason to. But most of all, they are to me, my life. For each word I write is a piece of my heart, a thought that just had to find its way into the world.

50 thoughts on “Respect..”

    • He might be, Suja, but how can I know if he doesn’t show it? And all that he does is find my mistakes than compliment my rights?

  5. I enjoy and can identify with it. Perhaps he doesnt see what you are and maybe his expectations doesnt align with yours. He still love you, thus his care and concern for what he thinks it’s good for you. Prove to him that you know he cares and you will show him, you know what you can and is able to do.

    • I know he loves, I know he cares
      But sometimes all he does is glare
      I try and try to prove my stand,
      Yet he does never understand.

      I’ll keep trying, but it hits hard when he only glares and not shows the care. Thanks, Clariice.

  6. I have not a thing to improve today.
    This is right on…and you have worded this so nicely
    that I am sure many people can relate to it.
    Thank you very much.
    ☮ Siggi in Downeast Maine

    • Thanks, Siggi. 🙂 Glad you liked it. I hope not too many can relate to it, but I guess more can than cannot. Sigh.

  7. Beautiful post Leo. Your words seem to come from a personal and deep place. Many of us just want respect with the life that we are living. You certainly echo and embody those sentiments.

  9. Ah, a bit sad Leo…
    I hope I am not gonna be in same dilemma to my kids…
    I mean, I encourage them and not otherwise
    I inspire them to achieve their dreams in life
    Whatever they may become, I will continue to inspire them!

    Cheer up Leo, he may soon understand you.
    Thing is, you are doing your best to become someone
    they can be proud of soon…

    They may understand you, but not this time, and that is
    not quite easy. Pray they would show their support to you
    inspire you to do better.

    Don’t brood on your disappointments over them… okay?

    • Don’t think they would feel that way about you. I’ve known you to be caring and loving and showing that also to all three of your kids! Don’t know when he will, but I do think and hope that he will, Amity.

  10. Totally agree with you that in order to receive respect, you must give respect. That’s one thing that has bugged with the Indian culture where we are told to blindly respect you elders but it doesn’t matter that they don’t respect you because apparently, them being older means they don’t have to. Great work Vinay!

  12. respect is certainly not felt when you feel you’re chained, I however feel every individual is self-righteous but yes, instincts are worth to rely upon!

  13. Excellent words. You are so right – to gain respect you must learn to give it.

    Anna :o]

    PS Can’t see what I am typing at all – so hope there is nospelling errors!

  14. You know Leo… you have said it so well… RE SPECT.. you crave to see the person again because you feel enhanced in his or her presence.. I tried to make a list of such people… trust me Leo.. could not get more than a couple of names.. I am not putting blogsphere here.. we are all distant soul mates who perhaps spontaneously enhancing each other..

    You said it so candidly and so well.. Respect..so hard to come by… yet everyone else demands it..unabashedly..

    Thanks for everything LEO, for joining in my celebrations .. I wish to place on record that you were the one who taught me about HAIKUS… i remember it was on your advice that I reworked on my first HAIKU..

    • It is quite hard to come by indeed, but I think it would be nice if atleast family respected us. You’re quite right, Rameshji, in saying that a list if made will hardly have a couple of people.

      Oh goodness gracious 😆 , I feel like some bigwig now 😛 You don’t have to thank me for everything, friend. It was a pleasure to help out and find an excellent haikai poet coming to the fore. 🙂

  15. Leo, respect is such an important thing. We all deserve this. As some others have said, I respect you AND your poetry.

  16. i honestly sat silent for a few minutes in front of my comp as i let each of your word sink in Leo. you express the truth each time in such a simple way that you force me to think. i could relate with this completely because sometimes i want to scream the same way too-“but to strangle dreams Is it right? How can I fly with chains? Let me breathe”
    you brought a lump to my throat.
    you know what? I respect you and your poems. whether you know it or not but you have taught me many many things.
    you know in my notebook where i wrote my first haiku, the caption says-“inspired by Leo”. all my friends were laughing but again, i never expect respect from them 🙁
    makes me feel sad, im surrounded by so many but still so lonely(especially at school)
    sorry for the blabbering but as ever your words invoked something in me that i cant explain.

    • Oh don’t shout that too often 🙂 Your dreams aren’t that strangled I think. Besides, dreams aren’t time limited I feel. Just needs the right type of pampering 😀
      Thanks, for the respect and praise always, Kirti 🙂 and for the caption too. Your haikus are just beginning to come out of their shell I feel.
      Don’t feel lonely. Not everyone would understand poetry. Its okay. Be with them, and be with your words whenever else possible too 🙂
      And no need apologies for anything. 😛 I have no problems with your “blabber” 😆

  21. I respect you for
    you are my father,
    you taught me
    how to
    Walk, talk and live

    You are and will remain my roots
    I receive elements that keep me going
    Through you.

    I respect you for what I am
    And for what you are.

    It is just that your being impatient
    Annoys me.
    In turn it annoys you more!

    Dad, not for a moment I disrespect you.

    Namaste.

    • Ah, Harshadji, those are my thoughts exactly, maybe a little less direct than my own words. I’ve been through the soft tone, but it just irks me that it wasn’t heard. That’s all. Thank you for a wonderful comment.

      • “To get respect, you must respect my life”

        Dear Leo,

        Your last line, coming from a son, will hurt any father. I say this with tears rolling down my cheeks.

        I agree with this as a momentary reaction but not as a cool statement.

        I enjoy you poems. Thought provoking and moving.

        God bless you.

        • Dear Harshadji, I do respect him. A lot actually. And that line, I didn’t mean to hurt him, or any other father. I’m not one to say it straight to the face usually. When I wrote it, it was just after something irked me because of something he did not understand of my life. Only momentary, and it does not stay more than that, because the love I hold for him and mom takes over. I wrote it in the straight up tone just to get it out of my system. Here is the only place I feel I can express somehow.

          Thank you for enjoying my poems, and supporting me. My apologies for getting tears of sadness from you, than of joy. I hope not to do that again.

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