Dare - A Poem Inspiring Us Each and All to Live the #GirlEffect

Yesterday my life was changed by a girl I have never met. Her name is Anita. She is a brave girl from India who is a world-changer. I wish I could be more like her - so today, I am sharing one of my gifts with you as a way to let you know about the 600,000 girls like Anita across the developing world who are waiting to join the legions of world leaders like Anita, like You... like Me.

Today, I wrote a poem. My dare to you (and to myself) is to live the poem, today.

Listen to me reading you the poem here or simply read on your own:

 Dare

Dare to see

the answer

in this girl's eyes

and in your eyes

touch it in the wind that

connects you

Dare to feel

the simplicity

of the movement

of your hand to

your craft, your mind

to her message

your productivity

meeting in the channel

of "Yes, I accept

your dare" coursing

collectively here

there now

Dare to hear

how related you are

dive into the darkness

of her eyes, accept

the penetrating darts

of your life force

and her life force

becoming our

force for change

Dare to proclaim

"Our force is for a greater

world dynamic than is

here right now!"

Dare to insist

to share to

live the reality -

the answer is

in her eyes

in your eyes

in her hands

in your hands

in her feet

in your feet

in her learning

in your learning

in your giving

in her receiving

in her giving

and in your receiving

Dare to turn again -

together only

to discover

Your eyes are her eyes

Your hands are her hands

Her feet are your feet

Her learning, your giving

Her receiving, your turning

right here

right now

is the answer

is the response

to the dare

right here

right now

====

Bloggers across the world are gathering to celebrate International Children's Day on November 20 while changing the world for 600 Million Adolescent Girls by raising awareness and funds for The Girl Effect thanks to the inspirational work from Tara Sophia Mohr.

Watch the Video that inspired the poem below.

 

Follow me on twitter: @juliejordanscot

(UPDATE: I won some awards from the Thursday Poets Rally for this poem. Very pleased and grateful today.Thank you, Jingle and all the others!)

Comments

[Leo]

how beautiful a message, put across with passion and power.. good reading you JJ :)

http://leonnyes.wordpress.com/2010/11/18/the-royal-wedding/

[pamela]

Lovely poem Julie.
Happy rally.
Pamela

[JP]

I stand amazed and humbled.

Great job.

JP

http://tasithoughts.wordpress.com/2010/11/17/thankfulness/

[mm]

A wonderful cause encompassed in your words-- well done!

[Monica Garcia]

wow! beautiful, lovely and very powerful! We should all dare to be greater and much more open!

[JamieDedes]

Julie, I so appreciate your posting this and you fine poem. Thanks to you, I was inspired to write my own and devlelope a post around it on the Girl Effect. I credited you with the inspriation and linked to this poem and your site.
http://musingbymoonlight.com/2010/11/20/i-am-the-answer/
Thank you!

I also included a mention of you and it at Jingle Poetry in my weekly column, Sunday Rally Dispatch.
http://jinglepoetry.blogspot.com/2010/11/sunday-rally-dispatch-11212010.html

In solidarity,
Jamie Dedes
http://musingbymoonlight.com/

[Jingle]

Your poetry is fabulous...
Always, your support is valued and your efforts are counted...We love you as a poet, we love your poetry as inspirations to all of us.
Hope to see you at our week 11 potluck.. it is open now.
Keep your talent coming.
xoxox

[Sumit Sarkar]

Fantastic poem and great work...
Thanks for sharing this... :)

[Jingle]

Glad to see you display the awards in your page.
beautiful.

[Kerry]

What a powerful poem. Really inspiring