Tag: suffering

let the wound lie open

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn Musings, suffering, Truth2 Comments

let the wound lie open*

we think wounds
need to be stitched
but this wound,
countrywide trauma,
can’t be cleanly
sutured and left to heal
there nothing curative here
only grief-worn hearts

a minute of silence can’t
solve this, even prayers
won’t help, although
we certainly want them
our leaders need to take
a hard look—their hunger
for elected power over
the gritty work

how can they rest
at night? face their
own children? we are
sick and broken
no one wants to own up—
this is not what
our founders intended by
the second

I can’t speak the word
“amendment” it has the
word “mend” in the middle
our country’s slant has
no sense of remedy
or repair, only
self-serving conduct—
I call for CHANGE

use our words!
placards in the streets
marks on ballots
phone calls
letters to the editor
throw them out of office
surely, surely
we must do better than this

*thank you to Emily Gibson of the Barnstorming blog for the title

2022 ©Amrita Skye Blaine
I’m writing a poem a day. These are drafts—they may never turn into anything more or they might flower.

stone in a backpack of boulders

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn Awakening, children, Daily reminders, death, feelings, memoir, Musings, Non-duality, nonduality, notes to self, pain, parenting, Poetry, spirituality, suffering, Truth4 Comments

stone in a backpack of boulders

note to self

the backpack load
unbearable unwearable
too heavy
digs ruts in our shoulders
yet we must heft it
and now,
another stone
a huge one

a school we never heard of
filled with young children who
have lost buddies they played tag,
hung upside down on bars
and now are forever gone
they’ll face enduring night frights
stained with crimson—
how will they recover?

when will we ken
the fatal disease of
separation? without
the resonance of interbeing,
how linked we are,
every one of us, no exceptions,
this will happen again
and again and again

2022 ©Amrita Skye Blaine
I’m writing a poem a day. These are drafts—they may never turn into anything more or they might flower.

the weight of impotence

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn Awakening, Daily reminders, feelings, Kashmiri Shaivism, Love, memoir, mind, Musings, Non-duality, nonduality, notes to self, Poetry, spirituality, suffering, thoughts, Truth2 Comments

the weight of impotence

note to self

stopped watching
TV world news
clicked off NPR
but on the iPad
catch myself roving
through BBC, CNN
and The Guardian
impelled to know

crushed by agony
in our world, I ponder
my own actions,
minuscule movements
of love, one in 7.9 billion
7.9 billion!
impotence weighs me down

and yet,
the eye of the heart flames—
see, over there,
the mare licks her foal
still amniotic wet
long, slow strokes to
ground him into life

with tender fierceness
watch the red-tailed hawk
feed snake to
squawking fluff balls
or the hospice nurse plump
pillows for the failing elder,
offering gentle words

oh please! dear self
faced with global turmoil
even though you
lie awake and quail,
remember—
thought is ineffectual
it holds no other sway

2022 ©Amrita Skye Blaine
I’m writing a poem a day. These are drafts—they may never turn into anything more or they might flower.

broken and beautiful

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn Awakening, Daily reminders, Elias Amidon, feelings, Kashmiri Shaivism, Love, memoir, Musings, Non-duality, nonduality, Poetry, Rupert Spira, spirituality, suffering, treasure, Truth4 Comments

broken and beautiful

note to self

oh my God, we are
broken and beautiful
every one of us
admit it or not
“we” includes
bright California poppies
filled with sunshine,
thief in broad daylight,
a knee-shaking kiss,
the rooster shagging
hens in the field,
incessant barking dog

how can it be like this?

how can it not?

our world is
kintsugi, broken—
an earthy bowl
lovingly repaired with
rivers of gold
again
again
and again

thank you Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer for the title.

the grace path

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn Awakening, Daily reminders, feelings, Love, memoir, Musings, Non-duality, nonduality, Poetry, Silence, spirituality, suffering, Surrender, TruthLeave a comment

the grace path*

he suffers
I cannot turn away
but truly see him
just as he is
lying on the carpet
always aching
self-medicating
fragrance
tinging the air

he does not complain
tends to his pain
as best he can
smiles, shows me
puppy livecams
my heart yearns to
enfold him in
mother love
he’s almost forty-eight
it’s not my place anymore

instead
he offers me a toke
maybe I accept
soft music and waterfalls
play on YouTube
we talk quietly of the big field
and the atmosphere
of that conversation
soaks the room in, yes, love
it’s taken care of
we lean into the grace path

*thank you Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer for the title.

2022 ©Amrita Skye Blaine
I’m writing a poem a day. These are drafts—they may never turn into anything more or they might flower.

don’t go to battle with reality

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn Awakening, Daily reminders, feelings, Kashmiri Shaivism, memoir, Musings, Non-duality, nonduality, Poetry, simple pleasures, spirituality, Surrender, TruthLeave a comment

don’t go to battle with reality

note to self

oh, sweetheart—just don’t!
don’t go to battle with
what is, a war
you cannot win
whatever has ensued
is already here
resistance won’t make
it go away

you can choose your
response—be kind?
helpful? generous, even?

when you’re overwhelmed
watch your buddy
the red squirrel sprint
along the fence
outside your office
no cares,
a speedy-rodent agenda
you’re not privileged to know

smile
breathe
remember
start again

2022 ©Amrita Skye Blaine
disclaimer: I’m writing a poem a day. These are drafts—they may never turn into anything more or they might flower.

wonder

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn Awakening, Daily reminders, feelings, Kashmiri Shaivism, Love, memoir, Musings, Non-duality, nonduality, Poetry, spirituality4 Comments

wonder

note to self

wonder thrives here
its comfortable home
inward, noticing
the movement
of consciousness

wonder in the midst of
the ten thousand things
is tougher these days
if I pay close attention,
even there I find
small blazes of kindness

fan those! bring
forbearance, goodwill
courtesy, too
shimmer with love
everyone suffers

then dive back inside
rest in the big field
attend fear, the feeling itself
it actually won’t eat you
can resistance soften?
who notices?
bring wonder to that

disclaimer: I’m writing a poem a day. These are drafts—they may never turn into anything more or they might flower.
I write “notes to self” to jolt myself awake. Simple reminders, again and again.

sighing

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn Awakening, Daily reminders, feelings, Love, memoir, Musings, Non-duality, nonduality, Poetry, spirituality, Surrender, Truth, writingLeave a comment

sighing

note to self

I sigh a lot these days
in the brief moment I allow
to check world news
war
sigh
autocrats
sigh
climate
sigh
drought
sigh
politics
sigh
fire threat
sigh
mass shootings
sigh

sighing to release grief
grief so deep
it almost swamps me
yet lives
a lump deep in my gut
stay with it, girl
this is important
feel it
and sigh
sighing is a prayer

2022 ©Amrita Skye Blaine

disclaimer: I’m writing a poem a day. These are drafts—they may never turn into anything more or they might flower.

skin suit

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn feelings, memoir, Musings, pain, PoetryLeave a comment

I wake up as
pure being, stretch
oh so carefully
then clothe
myself in life

another day
in my skin suit
aching back
ease on clothes
make my mocha

morning treasure
diverts attention
makes the day
sustainable
I take a grateful sip

2022 ©Amrita Skye Blaine
disclaimer: I’m writing a poem a day. These are drafts—
they may never turn into anything more than a clumsy attempt, or they might flower.

blue gel caps

On By Amrita Skye BlaineIn Daily reminders, feelings, memoir, Musings, Poetry4 Comments

blue gel caps
note to self

white hot
knifes through my lumbar
spools around a hip
plans must change

no long car rides
attention to
the subtlest move
and pain meds

yes, blue gel caps
are your friend
your mind is not
remember that

a worm hole
into suffering
oh no! what if?
never-ending?

start with breath
slow and even
move with care
pace yourself

familiar territory
you’ve been
through this
before

2022 ©Amrita Skye Blaine
disclaimer: I’m writing a poem a day. These are drafts—they may never turn into anything more, or they might flower.