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

yielding – a pantoum

yielding is a pliant movement
interwoven with surrendering
lean into this and learn it
to find your way in life

intertwined with surrender
yet it has a different feel
if we want to find our way
we must open to its teaching

yielding has a different feel
it can be harsh and painful
learn to welcome its teaching
it’s part of our embodied life

it can be harsh and painful
but the lessons can soften us
welcome to embodied life
our blue orb’s not an easy place

the lessons can soften us
and stretch open our hearts
our blue orb’s not an easy place
it takes courage and grit to bear

stretch open your heart
can you trust enough for that?
reach for your grit and courage
to face what’s thrown your way

yielding is a pliant movement
lean into this and learn it

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