12 Comments
User's avatar
Alesia Zakharova's avatar

Beautiful poem! Thank you for sharing it. I feel like I’ll need to read it again and again.

Expand full comment
Dave Joseph Jr's avatar

Thank you! Thank you for sharing it with others. Please print it out for encouragement.

Expand full comment
Alex Jenkin's avatar

Best poem I’ve read on Substack ⚔️

Expand full comment
Dave Joseph Jr's avatar

Thank you! Thank you!

Expand full comment
Rachel Carr's avatar

So beautiful Dave. Words that so many of us on here need to read 🤍

Expand full comment
Wild Lion*esses Pride by Jay's avatar

To @Dave Joseph Jr—and to all who move with care and intention,

Your words don’t just speak—they remain. They offer more than a moment; they offer belonging. With each line, you plant a reminder that connection lives beyond the scroll, that presence is not measured in visibility but in what we nurture when no one’s watching.

“The children watching us / won’t remember what we posted— / they’ll remember / what we planted.”

That truth lingers. It invites me to ask: What seeds am I tending? What stories will remain in the hands and hearts of those who come after?

You’ve woven a testament to steady, grounded action. Not action for recognition—but for restoration, for care, for weaving something whole. You reminded me that love can be a daily practice, quiet and consistent. That courage can sound like listening. That community is not built with slogans, but with the space we make for one another.

This isn’t a trend. It’s a path. One we walk together.

Expand full comment
K. Lee Brown's avatar

Fantastic post Dave! I love it.

Expand full comment
Dave Joseph Jr's avatar

Thanks for the encouragement.

Expand full comment
Ulysses Santillan's avatar

This means something. It has heart and spirit. It's the boost we all need to continue this journey. To get up and rebuild, connect, and grow. This is perfect. I don't want to repeat myself. DAMN! GREAT! WOW! THANK YOU! I needed to read something like this today. Enjoy the day. Until then, be cool 😎 and you.

Expand full comment
Wendy Cockcroft's avatar

That is beautiful, Dave. Absolutely beautiful.

Expand full comment
Aastha's avatar

Best poem for the writers. Although we are not famous or trendy as "influencers" but we Write what we feel. Raw & real .🤍

Expand full comment
mel's avatar

Amen and Amen!

Expand full comment