Tag Archive | Poetry

A window to my past

Jun7

A window has been opened to my past,
Unexpectedly…
But don’t many things in life happen unexpectedly?

I’m now in touch with friends from high-school
Some still in Iran
Others living all over the world

We are all 35 years older now
But we share a special bond
Because of the year we spent together
In grade nine

Students from across Iran
Gathered in the Dabirestane Daneshgah
In the city of poetry and love, Shiraz

They’re now once again scattered across Iran
And across the world
In Australia, Canada and Denmark…

Messages are sent back and forth
Pictures and poetry is shared
Friendships forged years ago
Are still alive and well!

But there is one thing that casts a shadow over this joy
And that’s the lack of freedom of Afif,
One of our dear friends….
Nevertheless this sadness is mixed with thankfulness
Because at least we have contact with him

The love and friendship I feel from everyone warms my heart
The love we all have for dear Afif is evident and clear
This connection after so many years… is unreal!

I know not!

May24

It’s time to rehash the last three months
When darkness fell upon my heart
When laughter did’t come easily anymore
When sorrow reigned and hope was gone

I see the light at the end of the tunnel now
My world is beginning to become colourful again
Shades of gray are replaced by yellow, red and green
Brightness is back, dreariness is gone!

And what was the purpose of this pain?
Why this suffering again and again?
The answers may elude me now
Perhaps I’ll know the reason why
Further down the road of life
The road where surprises hide
And answers are hard to come by

I felt like I was walking in a swamp
Every movement seemed so hard
Sometimes I wonder how I persisted
How I managed to smile from time to time

Writing, my joy in life left my side
Reading, my inspiration
Seemed laborious and hard
Joy left
Mental alertness left
I was surrounded by fog

I was not efficient
Not quick on my feet
I didn’t have any bright ideas worth sharing
But what choice did I have but to go on?
What Choice did I have…. none!

My friends were by my side
They’d throw me a line from time to time
Trying to keep me afloat a bit longer
As I struggled in the currents of life

It’s almost over
I’m almost there
And I’m thankful as can be
It’s a rebirth, another one
What is the wisdom?
I know not… I know not!

Lida Berghuis
May 22nd, 2015

Why I write

Apr8

My hands miss the paper I write on
My heart misses expressing its feelings and thoughts
Where has my creativity gone?

There is some colour in my life from time to time
But shades of grey dominate
I want to leave these dreary colours behind
And so I write!

I write to feel like me again
I write to feel free again
I write to feel joy again
I write to be me again!

Lida Berghuis
April 8th, 2015

We prescribe a friend

Feb24

“For sadness, we prescribe a friend”*
For despair, we prescribe a friend
A friend
One who listens with care
A friend
One who does not compare
A friend
One who is always there

For disappointments, we prescribe a friend
For crises in life, we prescribe a friend
A friend
One with open arms
A friend
With whom you can laugh and cry
A friend
One who loves you for who you are

For sorrow, we prescribe a friend
For heartache, we prescribe a friend
A friend
A solace in time of need
A friend
One who brings you cheer
A friend
All that you need!

*quote by Rumi”

From mundane to philosophical

Feb11

The pizza dough instruction said
Cook at 450 degrees
I suggested 425!
Albert asked why?

Why do you question 450?
Don’t you think they gave this some thought?
Don’t you think they know what
They are talking about?

Yes, but I think 425 will do the job!

Why? How does this make sense?

Why should I make sense, said I!
There are lots of things that don’t make sense
Why should this one?

It doesn’t make sense when close friends
Move far away
It doesn’t make sense that some people
Throw away food while others starve!
It doesn’t make sense that we try to
Solve our problems with war!
That we create safety by having more guns!

It doesn’t make sense that girls are not treated right
They can’t get the education they want
They are sold and bought!

I know this is heavy stuff
But these things don’t make sense either
Why should I?

Feb. 1st, 2015

Recharge

Jan30

We charge our phone battery diligently
But sometimes we forget to recharge our own!

I guess the phone batter warns us
50%… 40%… 25%…
Whereas our mental and emotional battery
Does not have a gauge
Often we wait till it’s too late…

In absence of a gauge
And because we often don’t pay attention
To the signs of tiredness and fatigue
It’s best to recharge regularly, every day
And not wait

Sometimes we feel guilty
Paying attention to our own needs
It feels selfish
But if we don’t take care of ourselves and crash
No one will be better off

If we don’t take care of ourselves
We may feel resentful
And do things half-heartedly
Whereas when our batteries are full
What we do will be done whole heartedly

In a world that seems to be spinning
Faster and faster
Slowing down and paying attention to
What gives us energy
Is harder than before

I’ve learned these lessons the hard way
I’ve ran out of battery many times
But sometimes it takes a fall
To make us pay attention to the path we’re on!

Life sucks… but in a good way…

Jan20

“Life sucks!
What can you do?
Accept it and get on with it…”

This is not a pessimistic attitude
Or a defeatist one!
Our lives are not meant to be picture perfect
Everything they way it should be
Or the way we want it to be!

Our lives are a series of challenges
That when faced with grace
Can help us grow and be stronger
And better people

Life is not a smooth road
It’s a bumpy one
Some places are not paved at all
There are obstacles to manoeuvre around
Detours that pop up!
And sometimes we may reach the edge
Of a cliff and need to back up!

The easy road offers no benefits
Except for seeming ease and comfort
It’s the road full of pit falls and road blocks
That puts us to test and helps us develop new skills

So, yes, life sucks
But not in a bad way
It sucks
So we can learn, change, and grow

Lida Berghuis
January 15th, 2015

*something someone at the hairdressers said once

Loneliness

Jan12

Isolation and loneliness
Like a cancer spreads
The effects are gradual and invisible at first
But eventually manifest themselves

Isolation and loneliness
Don’t seem so harmful at first
But over time they do damage
To our souls and hearts

Isolation and loneliness
Not how we are meant to live
Independence is over-rated sometimes

Contact and compassion what we need
What heals
A smile, a warm touch
A healing medicine

‘How are you doing, are you all right’
Shows we care, helps us connect
Sometimes this is all it takes
To rescue someone from the grip of awful thoughts
Sometimes this is all it takes
To give someone hope to go on

Isolation and loneliness, weakens and saddens
Contact and helpfulness, heals and gladdens!

Lida Berghuis
January 11th, 2015

"Forge meaning from adversity"

Jan4

Adversity is a blessing if we are able to look
With the eye of wisdom and see the gems hidden in it

Adversity is opportunity for growth
Adversity makes visible the invisible
Shows us what’s essential and
Guides us to surrender, humility, and acceptance

When faced with adversity
One can crumble and complain incessantly
Or one can decide to take an active part
In tackling the situation
Not running from it
Not hoping for miracles
Not blaming others and even God!
But resolving to see what can be learned
How best one can cope and to keep setting
Noble goals despite what may seem like
Unsurmountable limitations

Lida Berghuis
January 2nd, 2015

Showing the real me!

Dec18

The real me!

She was not afraid to show her face
At a time when showing her face was akin to a crime

But she was not afraid
She removed the veil and showed her face
Some were confused
Some were perturbed
Some were shocked!

But she was not afraid
She had the courage of her convictions
She knew who she was

I draw on her courage to show you the real me
To remove the mask of pretence
The mask of ‘acceptable’
The mask of ‘normal’

And I don’t think the real me
Will shock others so much
Because I’m not that unique
My experiences are my neighbours’ experiences
My friends’ experiences
Or perhaps yours

I’m not so unique
Any pain I have experienced
Has been experienced by others as well
Any challenge I’ve had
Has been the lot of others as well

She showed her face when showing her face
Was akin to a crime
All I’m doing is showing you the real me!

Lida Berghuis
December 18th, 2014