This is not peace

Tags

death, hatred, justice, Poem, Poetry, Revenge, symbolism, war

Peace Dove from Peace Mandalas: http://www.asounddesign.com/peace_dove.html

A man lies dead

But nothing has changed

There’s cheering by the tower

Hatred and plotting over there

==

A man lies dead

Although some grieve for him

Fueling more hatred and anger

None are healed by his passing

 ==

Peace begets peace

Love begets love

Kindness begets kindness

Trust begets trust

 ==

A man lies dead but this is not justice

Revenge does not bring peace

War does not bring peace

Symbolism does NOT bring peace

 ==

And this is not the end

 ~Svasti

I’m likely to introduce myself like this #reverb10

Tags

#reverb10, banana bread, Compassionate Instincts, courageous, cup of tea, Don't Know, fleshly borders, gypsy warrior queen, Hilarious Giggles, introductions, king tide, lotus, measure of this Self, mediation, memories, mirror, name, ocean, reflections, shadows, sky, sunrise, wind, winding mountain path

New Name. Let’s meet again, for the first time. If you could introduce yourself to strangers by another name for just one day, what would it be and why?
~ December 23 prompt

My name, you say? Not quite sure any more.

Used to think I was just the Me I see

In my reflection.

Later, I learned mediation and began to understand.

Fleshly borders don’t define Who I Am.

Activities, likes and dislikes, clothes, a job

Don’t make the measure of this Self.

There was a night and a day

Where I swore I was Shiva!

It’s not that I’m wrong,

But here in this place

I’m both less and more than I seem.

::

So look in my eyes, tell me what you see.

Coz these days if you ask

I’m likely to introduce myself like this:

I am a lotus: feet buried in the earth and skyward blooming!

I am the sky: multi-hued and changeable!

I am the wind: gentle caresses and wildness combined!

I am the ocean: sometimes darkly brooding, others shining like diamonds!

I am a bird! An ant! A winding mountain path!

I’m an ancient tome of wisdom! A lollipop! A mouse!

I am shadows, I am darkness, I’m in your nightmares too.

But I’m also a gypsy warrior queen, with hugs and love for all.

I’m the heart of the world and words in your heart.

I’m the spark in your eye when you’re looking fine (and you know it).

I am everything you never wanted to be.

I’m ugly, I’m bold and madly courageous.

I am lessons, I am memories, I’m your cup of tea.

Yes, I’m all that and so very much more.

::

But mostly

Who I Am

Is Don’t Know

Not Knowing

Open-Hearted Service

Cavernous Space

Compassionate Instincts

Beloved

Loving

Home baked banana bread

And Hilarious Giggles.

::

So tell me again what you see,

And label me that which mirrors your vision,

Because that I am too.

And so my dearest, are you.

~Svasti

 

“Vincent” the question mark butterfly from http://www.projectinsect.com/gallery/Vincent.htm

How are you traveling? #reverb10

Tags

Empire of Healing, hidden curves, Land of Contemplation, Path of the Novice, Principality of Truth, Realm of Skipping For Joy, traveling

Travel. How did you travel in 2010? How and/or where would you like to travel next year?
~ December 22 prompt

I’d like to say I traveled well…

The road wasn’t always smooth or well planned

There were hidden curves

The occasional mountain to scale

But also, beauteous fields of gardens in the Realm of Skipping For Joy

Deep, wooded forests and babbling brooks in the Land of Contemplation

Many miles traversing the lands of the Empire of Healing

(There I honed my strengths and darned the loose ends of my heart)

I visited places by plane, on a train, on foot, by bus, bike and car

Some were nearby while others were… not

Much time was spent travelling the Path of the Novice

There were places I didn’t go when I really wish I had

Others that could only be visited on a mat or cushion

Inner or outer travels, it matters not

The Principality of Truth governs them all

And is my compass, my inspiration and my goal

::

As I’ve traveled before

So I’ll travel again

Revisiting places I’ve already been

But seeing them afresh no less

A new story

A wider view

While the pathways aren’t always clear

I’m always checking back into Truth

An embassy everywhere I go

Another passport stamp

Of my pilgrimages

Perhaps I’ll get on a plane or two

Fly away for a while

But always returning

Traveling ever inward

Ever home

~Svasti

Ruby slippered steps

Tags

Adventures, bliss, castles, Fear, Grace, impenetrability, opportunity, Poem, Poetry, ponderously, potentiality, Probable Cause, Twitter, Universe

‘Round the ends of the universe

And back (again)

Enfolded in blissful possibilities

Of adoration and

Great big shining opportunities

So melts the Castle

Of Impenetrability

Because all things have a Time

And a Place

~ Potentiality ~

Now just looking

For Probable Cause

It MUST be Real

Requiring bone-deep

Introspection

Deeper, even

Now to discover

That first ruby slippered step!

(That is my current plan…)

~Svasti

(A little late-night Twitter-composed poetry, while lying in bed PONDEROUSLY attempting bravery to figure stuff out.)

A brief statement of fear (Alice-style)

Tags

Alice in Wonderland, Fear, Poem, Poetry

Because it’s really quite simple, y’see

Once I’ve crossed that bridge

Or walked through that door

I’m afraid that the me I am

Won’t resemble the me I’ll be

When more likely

It’s probably true to say

That the me I’ll be

Will be more me

Than any me I’ve ever been…

~Svasti

A short run

Tags

bothering, endings, final act, final bows, glitter, Greasepaint, Heartbreak, Loss, Poem, Poetry, Sadness, sonnets, unwritten scenes

‘Scuse my silence, I’m just

Over here dealin’

With a little heartbreak

Nothing that’ll kill me

But enough to knock

The words from my mouth

And the sonnets from my sight

Keep writing what I think

Happened, knowing it wasn’t

Like that, not entirely

Got a lot to say but

Nowhere to put it; the

Ninth act deleted

Before it began

Curtains drawn, no

Final bows allowed

I fear now, all along my

Interpretation was off

Making more plot than

The playwright conceived

My performance gaudy

Overdrawn and naught

But bothersome to

Other players, time wasting

And over-sharing barging

Through unwritten scenes

Now sitting in the wings, the

Show’s over, the run’s complete

Time to repaint the backdrops

And move on then, is it?

Hard to forget, don’t really want to

Greasepaint and glitter stubbornly

Linger, a constant reminder

Ever fainter, of shows past

Perhaps never to play again

~ Svasti

People watching, Chapter 3

Tags

dead eyes, disillusionment, Fear, Frozen hearts, glitter, marble foyers, People watching, Poem, Poetry, purple, suits, tram tracks

Vanilla flavoured suits disguising

Poorly hidden madness

Trying on blank slate faces

Pinstripes like disillusionment

Nothing reveals the sadness

Like dead eyes above

Tastefully expensive ties

No hair product, no lipstick

To conceal this blemish

Tension leads to numbness when

It can’t be understood

Searching finds a pint or two

And fear buys the next round

So I try to breathe compassion

And openness and love

But I’m only half awake and

Never sure which half

Asleep enough to empathise

Awake enough to care

Let’s colour your pinstripes purple

Sprinkle glitter in your hair

And look to where sun and sea

Sing pretty rhythms within

Bringing life to marble foyers

Clackety-clack tram tracks and

A skip in your step because

You know, oh you really do

~Svasti

Next step unknown

Tags

Foundations, Gravity, Loss, Love, Pease, Poem, Poetry, Recriminations, Reparations, Sorrow, Spider's web

Tension and complexity

Create the spider’s web

No one leaves the whirlpool

As it swirls us to our doom

Gravity holds the satellite

To its planet, never leaving

The binding force is love

Previous beauty brought undone

Reparations, recriminations

Salving this path is not

Easy, there’s no clean

Cut to suture nicely

No balance, no simple

Answers to banish

Those unwanted tears

Do the strength of

Our convictions create more

Problems than they solve?

Love is no struggle, here

It’s our battle stations

Horrifically dragging us to

Something no one wants

I love you, oh I do, yet

I don’t know the way

From here, to that blissful

Commune of love we

Laughed about, before

The foundations trembled

~Svasti

Learning the ropes

Tags

Adventures, Bali, Fear, Love, Optimism, Poem, Poetry, Re-discovering old writing, Sanur, Undated poem

Sanur beach, Bali - 20th May 2006

My ship is made

Of love and fear

Of fear of love

Of love of all

– – – – – – – – –

Bright star o’er there

Glinting promise – a plan

Perhaps, setting sail again

O’er all those seas

~Svasti

Reprieve

Tags

Adrift, Fear, Heart pain, Inertia, Lethargy, Love, Outlet, Poetry, Sadness

Another day lost
Hovering, undressed, unsure
No reason not to see the day
No reason to be anywhere but here
Started out numb enough
Lethargy and Inertia
My wingmen

Love is everywhere, though
Intruding on this exile
My gorgeous daily touchstone
(I adore you!)
Emails and calls from people who
Don’t know I’m adrift

Day passing and pulse speeding
Open heart agony arrives
Pain doesn’t knock first
And yet…
Reminders of love and care
Keep interrupting this debacle
Saying… hang in there

Tho it’s not bad and I’m not scared…
My bubble of terror, I think
Has sprung a leak
~Svasti