In the summer of 1982, I was midway through my college education. My life had never been completely calm. Because I am disabled with cerebral palsy, left-side hemiplegia, and dyslexia, it has been a series of conflicts. And not because I wanted it that way, but because the able-bodied professionals who were supposed to help me could not handle a person like me who did not want pity. I wanted to make something of myself and my life, and the experts did not like that.

Like the title of the poem, this caused me tumult. Emotional agitation came after years of my civil rights being manipulated and my boundaries violated.

The more I fought to grow and become more independent, the more they tried to reduce me. Piece by piece, they tried to dismantle my integrity and functionality. They tried to take my power away from me. They even tried to make me feel unworthy of my own efforts to make something of myself. But through it all, my voice grew stronger. I refused to give up or give in, and I refused to be humiliated or treated in a high-handed manner.

Even though the mighty whistle seemed to take over my weeping heart, from the silence, a sound emerged—a ripple that carried a reverberation of hope.

To this day, this hope continues to infuse my healing soul.

Turbulent

The winter was calm and mellow,
But suddenly the stillness changed
Into a turbulent spring

Week by week,
Day by day,
The weather got progressively worse

Tumultuous waters clashed
Without a star in the sky

Its mighty whistle had taken over, Divine!

You can order my poetry collection, including this poem, here: Reflections of My Heart.

Original text ©2024 by Karen Lynn-Chlup. All rights reserved. Image courtesy of Mike Trenchard, Earth Sciences & Image Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.