Poetry

Sensitive Souls

I took this photo at Ritsona refugee camp in Chalkida, Greece. This breathtaking mural was painted by Yazidi artist, Ismail Noh.

I took this photo at Ritsona refugee camp in Chalkida, Greece. This breathtaking mural was painted by Yazidi artist, Ismail Noh.

I feel you.  

You, 
Who feels the chronic ache of the insensitivity of the world.
The horror of war lives in your heart as if it were your own.
It is.  

As bombs explode on other continents, they also implode in your brain, Extravasated blood trickling back to your heart, nourishing it with each drop.  Daring you to care.  

You,
Who sees beyond false smiles, violent outbursts, and airtight facades.  
You, who perceives the lonely child.  

You,
Who becomes restless and bored with gratuitous chatter.
Plastic things.  
Fearful threats.  
You feel the disappointment of missed connections, unconscious movement.  

Of the overwhelming abundance that means nothing.  
Less than nothing.  
Who feels the bottom fall out of you from the weight of these things, tearing a hole,             Robbing like thieves your precious human-ness.  The touchy feely-ness of authentic fleshy wet nourishing abundance.  

You think poetry.  
Spit heart blood through your lips with your words.
Write nonsensical truth.  

Yes, you, the one with Courage.  The Brave one trying to hide your tears.   

She, 
Who waxes with the brilliance of the Moon, and wanes into the darkest Darkness,
And navigates both with otherworldly saavy and dexterity.  

Intolerant of the inner and outer warfare of body shaming, bullying, sexual, emotional, spiritual and intellectual intolerance.   

You, who sees the smallness of bullies; the cowering shadow.  

You,
Who was so humiliated that you shrank into smallness and dared never be Magnificent again.  

You,
Who knows the fear that lets us know without saying what we are not to say out loud.  

You know the pain of those that don’t know that a gentle touch, the gentlest, 
Which can hardly be felt at all, simmers and incites the subtlest but most
Real human connectivity.  
The one that means something, and is more
Masterful than the keenest intellect.  

You,
Named “mentally ill” - who couldn’t bear it anymore – 
I know you saw, you felt, you see and feel keener than the intelligent ones.  
You are the most loved.  The most loving.  
Forgive us our inability - our incapacity - to perceive, to feel you.  A million apologies Will never be enough.  

You, 
Who knows that fear is a lie that you can wink at or wear like a coat of armor.  

You,
Who sees with your eyes closed, and is so wise you recognize the world painted on your inner landscape.  That you are a hologram of everything.  

I want to talk with you.  I want to know you.  I believe we’ve already met somewhere?  Show me your defenseless Self; my eye is open.  

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Dancing Love

Photo by Lone Morch

Photo by Lone Morch

This poem was published by Rebelle Society.

Dance is like floss, sweeping between and through my joint spaces and bones; creating space where there was accumulation and sorrow. 

The aches become less urgent, spaciousness is a welcome sensation. 

Continuity, fluidity, rhythm.  Extension. 

How moving in a slightly different direction can capture my attention; move a proverbial mountain that would otherwise remain for lifetimes. 

I dance for me. 

It moves my aching back; clears cobwebs, opens the portals.  

To move in a way I’ve never moved before is a revolution!  A direction other than forward, linear; walk, walk, reach, bend, hold the steering wheel. 

Angles and arches reveal infinite shapes. Stomping generates sound and vibration. I lengthen, become taller, more hollow; s p a c i o u s.  There is an opportunity there. 

Density is stuffy. 

I dance to express something with my entire body – my whole being; to express Love; to shake off some pain; to reveal a smile.  Create momentum.  Stretch beyond what I think I can.  To share what I can’t find words for.   

When I dance I can see myself in my mind’s eye being graceful, in command, bathed in evening sun; aligned with the universe and confident in my intention to share Light, Joy, Love of Dance, Nature, Humanity. 

I am extraordinary.  I can imagine that.  I can be that.  An extraordinary vessel that can inspire. 

I stretch myself and still feel confident; know that the unknown is an opportunity not to be feared.  If I can move in this interesting and unchartered way, perhaps I can reach into the world in unexpected ways without fear. 

Perhaps the ache in my hips and my back, rather than holding me back, can transform.  And that ache in my heart that haunts me since I was small.  I can stretch, jiggle, and slide.

Those aches and doubts and tragedies, small and large, can be transformed into watery spirals, and soar in a new rhythmical symphony of possibility – informing but not imposing.  Memories stuck but then set free become inspiration; reasons to change.  

What a gift to be able to see myself as a collaborative cellular community imbued with infinite divine possibility, rather than a finite and unfortunate structure, like a box.  A closed space. 

What does it mean to see myself as a closed space?  In a closed space?  Finite?  To identify with my pain?  To perceive confinement?

How movement transforms my cellular structure, and my thinking, is curious to me. 

Is dance necessarily a state of being out of control?  Like a spectacular tantrum.  Fleshy and sweaty.  Beams of essential light bursting through pores and eyeballs. 

Or flawless syncopation; a cellular symphony of atomic vibrations that conveys the sincerest and sweetest expression of humanness?  Is control a necessary part of that?  May dance be an opportunity to transcend control?  To touch my greatest, most ethereal potential – the most sensual and spectacular; like WOW!  Is this even real?   Is this even possible?

Expansion.  Compassion.  Connection.  Love.  Human synergy. 

I think I just saw God, if even from a distance, a brief glimpse. 

That God is me. 

That Goddess is my dance. 

God and Goddess dance in me and gave me dance in order that I may excel and express the best aspects of me beyond measure. 

What does that mean, to see beyond myself?  Beyond my limited worldview?  I can expand myself with rhythmical feet, long arms that explore possible trajectories in infinite pathways.  I can expand in expression, emit compassion.  Embody Love.  Self Confidence.  Self Knowledge. 

Those tiny little stubborn bits within me that adhere for dear life – “leave me alone,” “let me be,” “let me hide here forever. “

That is what dance can liberate.  And this is the beginning of transformation. 

Dancing every day is good.  I will do it until I die. 

Dance every day.  Dance every day.  Dance every day. 

(I’m forgetful)

Dance on the train.  Dance when I’m sitting in a chair.  Dance when I am in conversation.  Dance when I am alone.  Dance when I am snuggling with my dog.  Dance when I am feeling sexual – allow sexuality to live in me; to move me; to sparkle and grow and animate my dance. 

To dance without shame. 

That dance that happens in every minute of every day, if I let it.  Dance even in my dreams.  Sensing, surrendering, being moved.  This is dancing.  This I will do every day.