Root of bitterness
Attaches deep within your soul
Like rusty barbed wire
Twisted pain stretched tight
Anger embedded in flesh
Forgiveness removes the barbs
Photos: Dwight L. Roth
Posting this for open link night at d’Verse Poets Pub.
Join us at: https://dversepoets.com
Roth Poetry 
Apt images for the poem👍🏻
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Thank you very much!
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Always welcome !
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Pingback: Bitterness — Roth Poetry | The Chamber Magazine
Amazing 💖
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Thank you very much!
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Life is a bittersweet one, move forward without bitterness, savour the sweetness you are given each day..
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You are right…. live each day to the full! We never know when it will be our last!
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That’s certainly true my friend..
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Bitterness is indeed like “rusty barbed wire.” Great comparison!
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Thank you so much for your comment.
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I think we can all relate to being poked by that wire a time or two. Forgiveness is key! Good one! 👏
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Thank you Tricia! Something we all go through from time to time for sure!
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Forgiveness is for something that’s already happened, but what about when you willingly go back for more?
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That is a really tough one. There comes a time when enough is enough! Thank you for your great question!
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Yes, it is, and yes, it is. You’re welcome ❤
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Thank you Lisa!
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I am entranced with your poetry …… every bit of it.
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Thank you so much Helen for your very kind comment! I am so glad you enjoy it!
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This is beautifully written and the emotional pain almost manifests as physical throughout this piece. You captured it quite well!
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Yes it does. When you immersed in the middle pain and bitterness it cuts very deep! Thank you Lucy for your perceptive comment!
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I really enjoyed seeing all of you yesterday on the live meeting. It was great to hear you read your poem. Very well done!
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Love everything about this! Beautiful
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Thank you Lisa. I am very glad you enjoyed it!
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Beautiful Metaphor here Dwight and oh so true! Forgiveness breaks the chains and barbwire!
Good to see you doing well! ❤️ Cindy
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Thank you Cindy. Yes it does. So far so good! Hope it stays that way. Forgiveness is the only solution that I know to remedy bitterness!.
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You’re welcome Dwight! It certainly it!!!! ❤️
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Great poem. Bitterness rusts the minds!
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Yes it does and is cancer to the soul! Thank you!
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I have to say that it’s interesting to read about bitterness from a person who comes across as entirely not bitter 😏
Well done, Dwight!
-David
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It may seem that way, David, but I have had my bitter time in my life!. It is only by forgiving, letting it go and moving on that I have found peace with those situations. Thank you for you kind observation. I take it as a high compliment!
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Marvellously created
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Thank you so much!
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You’re very welcome indeed
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Such powerful imagery in this poem, Dwight, especially the simile ‘Like rusty barbed wire / Twisted pain stretched tight’.
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Thank you Kim! Yes, bitterness is the barbed wire of the soul.
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Thank you Kim! Yes, bitterness is the barbed wire of the soul. It was so good to see you on the live link and hear you read your poem.
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I love the metaphor, including the photos!
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Thanks Liz. I took the Photos a few months ago and knew immediately I wanted to do a poem about them in the future! Bitterness is the barbed wire of the soul!
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It certainly is.
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Such a simple truth that many fail to realise: bitterness is almost as damaging as jealousy, and it damages most the person who harbours it.
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Yes, it is like cancer of the soul! Thank you. So good to see you on the live link yesterday and hear your poem read.
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Reblogged this on The Reluctant Poet and commented:
Great Post from Dwight
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Thank you Chuck! It will eat you alive!!
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This is deeply wise and potent! Harboring bitterness and anger can certainly eat one alive. 💝
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Yes it can. I really enjoyed seeing all of you on the live meeting yesterday.
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I was just thinking about resentment this morning and how bitter it can make you, and then I realized that if you let The bitterness cleanse you and remove you from some unwanted circumstance it becomes a freeing force! And forgiveness and healing surely follow! And bam, you’re lovely poem comes my way! Thank you 🥰🥰
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Thank you so much Shari Lynn. I appreciate your sharing your experience with us. And, yes it often results in a learning experience if we let it.
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Ah, so poetically put. Perfect!
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Thank you very much Jan!
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Forgiveness is the key to end bitterness. Well said, Dwight!
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thank you Eugenia! It really does make a difference!
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Most welcome, Dwight!
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We often focus too long on the pain and not enough on the resolution.
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Yes, I agree. Some seem to make a lot of drama out of their pain.
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Powerful metaphor, Dwight!
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Thank you so much Rosaliene!
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Beautifully composed Dwight! 🙂 True words of wisdom.
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Thank you Kym for your kind words!
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My pleasure my friend! 😀
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Great stuff, Dwight. I LOVE the closing line. And that 2nd photo is fantastic. We had a tree like that at our last place, but it was an iron rake embedded in the tree. I really wanted to cut it down & bring it with us when we moved, but couldn’t bring myself to do it. After all, I hadn’t created, only inherited it, so I suppose I was obliged to pass it on… Bummer.
But I digress…Great stuff, Dwight.
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Thank you so much Ron! Your rake in the tree sounds interesting. I am sure you got some photos. That would make a great post!
When I saw this barbed wire, I knew there was a poem waiting to happen. Thank you so much for your kind affirmation. I enjoyed see all of you yesterday and hearing you read your poems on the You Tube clip.
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This cuts close to the bone. Forgiveness is difficult, yet it frees us. (K)
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Yes, it is seldom easy but the results are worth it.
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Anger embedded in flesh
Forgiveness removes the barbs
Wise words Dwight!. Nothing like having an undisturbed mind to face life’s challenges to ward off stress to oneself!
Hank
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It is amazing how much better your feel with you let all that go. Thanks Hank!
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Dwight, the thing that bothers me most about a certain politician is the negative emotions he arouses. I don’t live my life in anger and fear, but I maintain peace of mind with a little extra effort nowadays. I see a similarity between him and embedded barbed wire. Take care! ❤
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Yes, for sure… perhaps he needs to read our blogs!
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A powerful poem drawing a line in my mind..yes
“forgiveness removes the barbs.”
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Yes. the scars remain, but the barbs get removed.
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True! What power there is in the graces we give each other, scars may remain, but scars do not hurt so much as barbs, and allows us still lessons learned.
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Thank you Lona. You are exactly right! The barbs are what keep us bleeding
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Short & Deep! 👏🏾
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Thank you very much!
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So very true 👍🏼👍🏼
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Thank you very much!
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The barbed wire buried into the flesh of the tree is a great metaphor for how old restriction come back later in life…
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Thank you Bjorn. Sometimes so embedded it can never be removed without killing the tree.
I enjoyed seeing all of you and hearing you read your poems. on the You Tube meeting of the d’Verse group.
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another powerful dose of wisdom Dwight, you are excelling at this deep reflective posts
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Thank you so much! I have been there and done that and it is not a good place to be! I am glad it connected with you.
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Wonderful metaphor, Dwight, and wonderful poem–and photos. That bitterness can cut deep, and forgiveness can be a release.
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Thank you Merril. Yes it can… Carrying around just creates more stress and pain.
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❤️
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Thank you!
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Great word picture using rusty barbed wire. There is a lot of truth in this verse. Forgiveness can be very hard, but it can heal.
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It an heal, but often still leaves a scar! Thank you for you comment.
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