The pantoum is a poetic form originating in 15^th century Malaysia. 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 final stanza is often two lines from the first stanza.

nothing personal
note to self—a pantoum

wash yourself of yourself
there’s nothing personal here
we believe we’re rare, unique
but life is simply living itself

there’s nothing personal here
though we’re sure it’s so
but life is simply living itself
embodiment’s wild ride

though we’re sure it’s so
we’re caught in crazy mind
embodiment’s wild ride
life tests and teaches

we’re caught in crazy mind
thinking we’re special
life tests and teaches
sands and burnishes

we believe we’re rare, unique
wash yourself of yourself

thank you to Coleman Bark’s translation of Rumi
for the line “wash yourself of yourself” from the poem
“Be Melting Snow.”

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