In My Pocket
Life can be overwhelming.
Politics, greed, the environment
swallow our attention;
they pound us, relentlessly,
until we want to crumble in despair.
Amid this unending battering,
we have our everyday lives to live,
with our everyday joys and sorrows.
There are things to celebrate—
births, graduations, weddings.
There are things we mourn—
illness, accidents, death.
Sometimes we feel life is so awful,
we have no right to celebrate.
To the world at large
they don't mean much,
small potatoes when
we're on the brink of disaster.
And yet,
our little bubble of life
is where we must focus.
The day to day small happiness,
along with the sadness that comes
from the daily struggles we face.
Just because the big stuff keeps happening,
the small stuff doesn't stop.
Those small things
are what make those big things
worth fighting for.
My pockets are filled
with small, precious gifts.
I carry them with me everywhere.
When the world feels hopeless,
I reach inside and hold on to hope.
~Elise Skidmore ©2026
Keep those pockets full, Cha-sister!
Thanks, Cha-sister! Doing my best.
As always, Elise, you have captured what I am thinking. I have so enjoyed your poems every day during April. I start my morning with prayers and meditations, and look forward to your poems. You have a wonderful gift and a way with words to express what I am feeling. I am sure many others are grateful for you sharing your talent.
Denise
Thank you, Denise. Your words mean more than I can say. I shall keep them in my pocket.
Incredible idea. That last verse says it all!
I’ve written poetry since the 80s but it mstifies me how each day in April you come up with these themes and then express them so well. You are a creative powerhouse of literary effort
If I could only crawl out of my recent pain caused by dialysis I’d love to get back to writing but I dont think I could ever surpass your speed!
Thank you, Michael. You’ve made me blush.
The truth is that I’m not really a very prolific writer at all. It’s one of the reasons I try so hard to complete the PAD challenges in April & November. It helps me fight Imposter Syndrome. The fact that I get the daily prompts for the challenge is a large boost to my creativity. I’ll read the prompt and let it muddle in my brain until something sparks. Once I start putting it down, it generally comes together in a poem. Some are better than others, but that’s life, right?
You’ve been writing poetry since long before the 80’s–I remember reading it when we were in high school. I know you’re going through a lot of health issues now, but maybe just writing for yourself would help you, even if it’s just to get what you’re feeling out on the page. You don’t have to share it with anyone–I understand how personal poetry can be–but just getting it out sometimes helps.
Hope you’re feeling better soon!