This was Russ Towne’s post this morning on FaceBook. I love the poem and the fulfilled promise.
I love the message at its conclusion, advocating what JanBeek is all about: “🎶❤️ All we need is love, ❤️ 🎶” and “Make the world better by the beauty [you] share.”

Russ Towne wrote, “The local chapter of the California Writers Club selected my poem below for inclusion in their publication ‘WritersTalk.’ This poem has had two titles over the years: ‘Broken Promise’ and ‘Their Time in the Ball.’ Which title do you think fits this [poem] better?”
Broken Promise
An unopened bud
A leaf left unfurled
A loss of great beauty
To a beckoning world
Withered by fear
From memories and pain
Won’t risk rejection
Shame and disdain
Unrealized potential
Hidden deep in a ball
They suffer in silence
A broken promise to all
Kindness can open
Closed buds over time
Heal shattered hearts
And ease fearful minds
A bud can be opened
By the love of a friend
Who believes in their dreams
So their spirit can mend
Sometimes it takes
The smallest of sparks
A word to encourage
Those alone in the dark
Nurturing love
Can go a long way
To help beautiful petals
Feel the light of each day
Bask in the glory
Of knowing they dared
Make the world better
By the beauty they shared
Often late bloomers
Are most lovely of all
As their beauty is deeper
From their time in the ball
–Russ Towne
Thanks, Russ, for your shared poetic talent!
Which title do you think fits it best?
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