What sooths me

 

Rosemary from Poets and Storytellers United asked us to answer the question, ‘What soothes you?’

What soothes me

When the black of night breaks,
And light filters through the cracks,
Sun rays stroke and soothe me,
Promising a new day of possibilities.

When life forges tears from stale air,
From moldy thoughts and a polluted mind,
It draws me out, where the rustling leaves
Of swaying trees lull me back to peace.

A quiet hum, a gentle hush,
Sending a gush of glee,
A soothing sound stirs my soul,
The sphere of music makes me whole.

And oh, being spoon-fed with niceness,
Wrapped in layers of tenderness,
Warming my heart with a velvety feel,
Each phrase a soft, soothing feather

Amor Fati

Rosemary from Poets and Storytellers United asked us to consider  Untitled 19, a poem by Rajani Radhakrishnan
The poem is gorgeous and I was guided by the beautiful lines
'let your poem gather itself
its empty spaces'

I let my poem gather but read today that we were asked whether we think it's best to speak up or stay silent on difficult issues I am more of a practical person. I discuss difficult things with my Dutch friends as this is natural in Dutch culture. I learned that it is hard to change a person's opinion.
I realised we have little impact on many things. But I will stand up if I can.
My motto is that you can't change the world but you can try to change it for one person at a time. 
This didn't work out for some people. In that case, it taught me patience, understanding of complex issues, and setting boundaries. I am not quite there yet. But somehow my poem ties in with this. Because if you develop and change, you will have a better impact.

I think this also balances life out to tie in with 'What's going on?' :)

Amor Fati
Love of fate

As the petals of life unfurl
I walk a resilient rope
Each strand, a thread of destiny
Balancing between despair and delight

I welcome every kind of weather
The sun’s warm embrace
A storm that once threatened to drown me
When life’s trials surround me

Am I to brave these bursts of turbulence
or surrender to the fear that pierces my peace?
Should I seek shelter in safer spaces
or trust the path that fate has laid?

Life listens to the sacred whispers of the rain;
You cannot always change your fate,
but eventually, fate changes you
This is the gentle art of blossoming.

++

Dear body

A quick and short poem as I choose to do too many other things this week 😌
Poets and storytellers united and asked us to Write a letter to our body

Dear Body,

I love and hate you, my body,
A whisper from the past
Said you were once a blast.
I clung to sadness,
Turned to food,
Numbness became fatness.

Even with curves and folds,
I love you, my body
You who showed me the world,
Gave me backbone,
Made the music flow through my veins,
Transformed me into a dancefloor diva.

When light pounds onto the earth,
You let me lean into the spectacle,
I moved through life,
Clumsy yet confident.

My body, my home
my strength is preserved
I finally observe
that you get what you deserve

Break Free

Rosemary from Poets and Storytellers United  invited us to write on being bound and/or breaking free

Break Free

Break free from the superficial
Dive deep into life
Be aware, absorb, adore
Always strive for more
joy love, and peace

Did you learn to react instead of act?
To control instead of respect?
This rhythm of imperfections
can be mended into a melody
harmonising heart and mind

Break free from the chains of society
Plant thoughts to grow in the light
of your original insight
Disbelieve those who say you’re weak
You are as strong as the force of a storm

Breaking free means removing
the bars from our mind.
opening the windows wide
Let the wind blow away your fears,
Until colours fill the shadows

Marja Blom

Learning the language of life

 The prompt for Poets and Storytellers United is 'things that aren't so scary (anymore)'.

Learning the Language of Life by Marja Blom

I had a craving to belong,
Stood on stage without a script.
Was I afraid to embrace the world?
Hell yes, I was an alien among
The brave, the bold, and the beloved.

I walked through shifting sand,
Seeking a place where I could stand,
A space where I could be seen.
Attention became my ally,
Class Clown was my name.

I listened wherever words awoke,
Learning the language of the masses.
I sensed their shadows and their masks,
Watched their confidence crumble,
Saw their trembling hands.

All beings face a brush with despair;
I learned that alone is not the same as lonely.
The weed's seeds of fear
Died beneath this mulch,
And flowers slowly towered above.

The unbearable lightness of being

Magaly from Poets and Storytellers United, invited us to find inspiration in one of the titles of books she proposed. I chose 'The unbearable lightness of being'. I didn't read it or know what the title meant so I looked up the book. I discovered it was made into a movie which I found online. I read some quotes from the book. It made me think that the film is a poor substitute for the book. I enjoyed it, though. 
What stood out for me was that I think that in the story, lightness was partly related to love being transient As if love and sex were not taken seriously. One of the main characters was a womaniser.

I didn't like him as I have dealt with one of them. That's what inspired my poem haha

Then there are those
Whose lightness is unbearable,
Fluttering kisses upon lips,
Ignited by flames
That engulfs their minds
With carnal obsession,
Where lust tramples on wisdom.

Lust doesn’t taint the mind;
It’s unaware of its existence,
Partnering only with pleasure.
There is a void where
Giving should reside,
Raindrops mingling with
Bitter tears of the other.

The pure will find
A love that endures,
Resting on the heart like
A heavy blanket,
Inducing peace and warmth.
In this shared bond of love,
The mind reaches
Beyond the heavens with
its sparkling stars and
A splendid moon,
Where ruby red rests
On midnight black.
Painting the sky’s mystery
With courage and passion,
Softer than satin.