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.

leave nothing out – a pantoum

the task is to leave nothing out
this is actually a very big order
search until searching is done
ask every question you have

this is the biggest order in life
to meet and to greet your depths
pose every question you have
so nothing is left unexamined

to meet and to greet your depths
requires finding innate courage
so nothing is left unconsidered
face fear, anxiety, and rage

you must find your innate courage
search inward for what’s unattended
unearth fear, anxiety, and rage
find the ground beneath even that

search unattended emotions
we stuffed them down to be safe
there’s a layer beneath even that
the ground of simple sensation

we stuffed them down to be safe
buried, they no longer serve us
find the ground of simple sensation
impersonal, unlabeled, and pure

buried emotions don’t serve us
tear open the box that they live in
dig further to find the impersonal
sink your taproot deep into that

tear open the box that they live in
examine and then let them fly
your root is in the impersonal
true sustenance of all that is

search until searching is done
the task is to leave nothing out

2023 ©Amrita Skye Blaine I’m writing a poem a day. These are drafts—not final versions.