The Power of Community and the Poetry of Love

March 8, 2025—Today, I woke up thinking about community. The abundance, the power, the love that exists within it. My mind wandered through ideas, searching for ways to cultivate more love and compassion in the spaces we share.

Like many mornings, habit led me to scroll through social media. As I checked my notifications, I found something that sparked joy—community engagement. A while back, I had asked a simple question: When was the last time you wrote a poem?

The responses were beautiful. Some had written just today, others three days ago, and some as far back as two months ago. But every response carried the essence of creativity and self-expression. Seeing this reminded me of the deep connections we foster through words, and it inspired me to take action.

I began thinking about how I’ve started community poems in the past—those collaborative expressions of shared experiences and emotions. I had promised to publish one of those poems on my website, and today, I’m fulfilling that promise.

Love Is Life

Love is life,

Life brings strife but love conquers all, which makes us feel alive.

For love to conquer all shows the reality of life,

That we all just wait for the perfect rhyme or reason.

Love is peaceful and understanding; love does not hurt.

Yes, love is a beautiful thing, but sometimes love can hurt to our deepest core.

Love is correction.

Love is me, love is you, love is us.

By The community of Rockford Illinois.

This poem is more than just words—it’s a reflection of our shared experiences, our understanding of love, and the ways we navigate life together. Seeing how poetry brought people together through my simple question, I’m inspired to set up a Community Writing Day—a space where we can come together, create, and share.

Because when we create together, we heal together. And when we heal together, we build a stronger, more compassionate world.

Stay tuned for more details on the upcoming Community Writing Day. Let’s keep the words flowing and the love growing.