watch out!

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn Musings2 Comments

watch out!

it’s essential
equipment
the minefield mind
needed for planning
required for movement—
(don’t want to stub
toes on table legs)

but if it runs wild
a tornado of feeling
built atop a fine story
watch out—
trouble’s abroad
thoughts will twist
you in messes
yank on your hair
turn hearts inside out
whisper strange lies or
make you afraid

don’t wait for the station
don’t take one more breath
the moment you notice
your own personal
mind train
step off


2022 ©Amrita Skye Blaine
I’m writing a poem a day. These are drafts—not final versions.

the question

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn Awakening, awe, consciousness, Daily reminders, memoir, mind, Musings, Non-duality, nonduality, notes from self, spirituality, thoughts, Truth, writing2 Comments

the question

age eleven

dark of the moon
chill air nipped
her bare neck
she lay on
new-mown grass
it’s familiar balm
enveloping her
as she stared at the
black sea of stars
flaming dots of
awakening that
stretched to
the end of time
what made this
intelligent wild
unexpected array?

not where she looked
maybe there were
no answers
which curled her gut
how can a tiny
dot understand
what it lives inside of?
she had to know—
didn’t understand
the search carried her
farther, away—
till an inward
turn and the solitary
walk toward home

2022 ©Amrita Skye Blaine
I’m writing a poem a day. These are drafts—not final versions.

leavetaking – a pantoum

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn awe, Daily reminders, Musings, Poetry, writing6 Comments

The pantoum is a poetic form originating in 15th century Malaysia that uses lots of repetition. It’s a poem of any length composed of four-line stanzas in which the second and fourth lines of each stanza serve as the first and third lines of the next stanza. The repeated lines may have subtle changes that shift the meaning. The final stanza is often two lines from the first stanza.

leavetaking—a pantoum

eventually, even stars sputter out
gray whales and the tiniest mouse
we all have an allotted span—
what to make of this earthly time?

gray whales and the tiniest mouse
no choice, we all are called home
how to parse this earthly time?
it’s both precious and doesn’t matter

there’s no choice; we all return home
we leave and arrive, leave and arrive
it’s precious and has no meaning
can you celebrate your homecoming?

we arrive and leave, arrive and leave
the schedule is not of our making
can you celebrate your leavetaking?
your return to the deepest home?

we all have an allotted span
eventually, even stars sputter out

2022 ©Amrita Skye Blaine
I’m writing a poem a day. These are drafts—not final versions.

refuge 2

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn Awakening, Daily reminders, mind, Musings, Non-duality, nonduality, notes from self, Poetry1 Comment

refuge 2

sunlight catches drops
that cling to weeping
maple leaves—
is fire season gone?
is it ever?
she never used to note
the rise in moist air or
subtle dip in warmth
that signals safety
now it’s embedded—
maybe it’s time
to unpack the go-bag
that lives in the car
snug less-used clothes
back into drawers—
her central self
the deep core of knowing
senses eternal safety
but the body
is a whole other story
it hangs on to fear

sink deep inside, find
the thread of breath
that carries you
to your original refuge

This photo is from the Barnstorming Blog, which I’ve followed for
fifteen years. Thank you, Emily Gibson. https://barnstorming.blog/

2022 ©Amrita Skye Blaine
I’m writing a poem a day. These are drafts—not final versions.

simply be nobody

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn Daily reminders, Musings, Non-duality, nonduality, notes from self, paradox, Poetry, spiritualityLeave a comment

simply be nobody

you were tutored from
birth to be somebody
—somebody special
a ponderous weight

be content with unique
you are, after all—
having to be someone
divides this-that-is
into 10,000 things
adds the burden of
“mine” and “yours”—
no other creature
does this

simply be nobody
the world will spin on
with less suffering
buy a home, but don’t
claim you own it—
what does “owning”
mean, anyway?
earn a degree but
don’t claim a persona

instead, rest in this—
the undivided
ineffable wonder
of all that is

2022 ©Amrita Skye Blaine
I’m writing a poem a day. These are drafts—not final versions.

ground of certainty

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn Awakening, awe, consciousness, Daily reminders, Musings, Non-duality, nonduality, notes from self, Poetry, spirituality, TruthLeave a comment

ground of certainty

which first?
bad news or good?
in this garden
of embodiment—
the tiniest vole or
Andean condor
spinning planets
and vast black holes
even they birthe and die—
no certainty, not ever

“oh, if only!”
human hearts cry
“surely we can depend
on something?”
well, yes—but not
on some thing
no things are secure
they must come and go
make space for the new
so what is reliable?
the big field of knowing
the cosmos erupts
within “it”—see that

2022 ©Amrita Skye Blaine
I’m writing a poem a day. These are drafts—not final versions.

hierophany

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn MusingsLeave a comment

hierophany
manifestation of the sacred
(a new word for me)

everywhere—
look everywhere!
each day the
earth turns and
light comes back
squirrels feast
on black-oiled
sunflower seed that
sparrows drop
gophers too
fox’s quick tongue
sips at the birdbath

closer in
notice words
their alchemy—how
they create meaning
can weave insight and
expose the state
of the one speaking—
be meticulous
words are powerful
spread kindness
offer love
evoke the ineffable

2022 ©Amrita Skye Blaine
I’m writing a poem a day. These are drafts—not final versions.

new day

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn Musings4 Comments

new day

walk outside
breathe in
the cool
the fresh
the brand new morn
what will this day bring?
promise this—
be carried by
the wing of love
see it all
and sail above
coast on eddies
with the breeze
beneath your wings
or like the earthworm
who eats and aerates
soil, make spacious
wherever you go
enlarge your life
and mine

This photo is from the Barnstorming Blog, which I’ve followed for fifteen years. Thank you, Emily Gibson.
https://barnstorming.blog/

2022 ©Amrita Skye Blaine
I’m writing a poem a day. These are drafts—not final versions.

the test

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn Awakening, children, Daily reminders, dogs, Love, Musings, Non-duality, nonduality, notes from self, Poetry, spirituality1 Comment

the test
1974

infant son
malformed heart
callous docs
severe surgeries
wailing baby
life, a hard cushion

she was pushed
to notice the good—
so many gratitudes!
hot tub’s warm embrace
hound’s comforting nudge
her little boy’s hug

noting grace became
her way—she learned to
heed life’s finespun
palette—delicate
melding from one
soft hue to another

2022 ©Amrita Skye Blaine
I’m writing a poem a day. These are drafts—not final versions.

the leaving times

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn awe, Daily reminders, death, feelings, loss, Love, Musings, Non-duality, nonduality, notes from self, Poetry, spiritualityLeave a comment

the leaving times

I’m old
not elderly, not yet
though it’s
over the horizon
now visible
marching toward me
precious friends
in trouble—falls
Parkinson’s, frail
bones, cancers
threats of leaving—
embodiment’s way
of clearing space
some days, acceptance
other days, resistance
as though I could
ward off death
this I must
remember—
love is love
inhale a breath
and feel it
everywhere

repeat