Be mindful not to bliss so much
That our thinking stalls, complacent
Some agitation must be felt
To cause movement, to change things
Be mindful silence does not seep
Beyond the borders of our cushions
Sometimes our voices must be harsh
For truth to topple institutions
Be mindful not to sit so long
That our eyes get used to blindness
Discomfort helps us seek new ways
Beyond the ease, the dark, the silence
-a.r.
Painting: Meditation 2 by Mario Ortiz Martinez
Beautiful blank slate
Crisp canvas on which to paint
Anything but pale
-a.r.
Painting: Still Life with a small blank canvas by Victor Ponomarenko
Happy New Year to all my readers. This is as close to a New Year’s resolution as I will get.
There is a comfort found in packing
Folding neat and zipping tight
All my needs checked neatly off a list
Convincing me I’ll be alright
There is discomfort in unpacking
Sorting out the crumpled mess
Deciding what is clean and what is not
And leaving in that bag the rest
-a.r.
Drawing by Stephen Wilks
You ask me to explain
How I live without faith
And I tell you the world ain’t fair
You do not believe me
But it’s simply that easy
With all this suffering everywhere
-a.r.
Painting: Rise you O’ sea by Ishrath Humairah
Inspired by a bit of Langston Hughes, a bit of Johnny Cash, and a bit of my family.
I will serve no one
Not even me, only living
Will be my lover
I will serve no order
Not even thine, only chaos
Will be my minister
I will serve no wellness
Not even mine, this sickness
Will be my mistress
I will serve no comfort
Not even bliss, only suffering
Will be my savior
I will serve no silence
Not for long, this voice
Will be my villain
I will serve nothing
Not even my self, impermanence
Will be my master
-a.r.
Painting: Lady Lazarus — Sylvia Plath
by Aleksej Daniel Djermanovic
Dear Readers,
Just a quick note to let everyone know that I will be traveling, visiting family, for the next two weeks. I will write and post, if and when I can. May your holidays bring you whatever it is that you wish for whether it be joy and liveliness, peace and quiet, or simply a couple of weeks just like all the other weeks.
Poetry & Practice,
april
Photo: Suitcase and Girl found on thepaintfactorypdx.com
My skin it ripples where I grip
My heartbeat slows its gulping
My body floats
My spirit soaks
My sins each bath absolving
-a.r.
Photograph by Linda Troeller
I should write
But I exhale
The “shoulds” whisper
To no avail
I settle in
To home and skin
Until the watch
Begins again
-a.r.
Painting by Jack Vettriano
Much too fast or way too slow
The felt sense of these days I know
Family time and travel soon
My skull and skin with shrinking room
Outcomes drift up in the air
My stuff piles here as thoughts fly there
I’m good to go or not enough
This season’s self-talk-shit gets rough
Wrapping and unwrapping fears
Shared spaces whisper in the year
Resolute, I’ll make the effort
My messy self kept in the present
What I want and what I need
The gift is that it’s up to me
-a.r.
Painting: Girl in a Copper Dress 3 by Steve Henderson
Our banks writing bills
Our lawmakers letting them
Our future is passed
Our bodies abused
Our speaking is then slandered
Our value erased
Our people as prey
Our protectors not serving
Our past still present
Our silence allows
Our vengeance devours us
Our words must ring out
-a.r.
Painting: Rainbow Voices by Kim Novak
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