Tag Archive | Poetry

To rhyme or not to rhyme?

Sep25

Why do I rebel against meter and rhyme?
Why don’’t I like constraint that much?

Why do I desire freedom from restrictions?
Why do I run away from convention?

My spirit yearns for freedom and flight
My nature does not like rules that bind

The rebellion of adolescence perhaps I missed
But now I want to do as I please!

There are constraints,
There are some rules
But don’’t like to analyze too much
Don’’t like to brood

Meter and rhyme comforting to some
But they act as a prison when I write

I like my spirit to decide these things
I want flow, not construction, mechanical

I want spontaneity, inspiration and fun
And somehow these don’’t go along with meter and rhyme!

Rhyme I will, when I want
But to analyze every word, every line
Kills the spirit for me
Reduces the poem to mere mechanics

Meaning and beauty what I seek
That’’s why I write, that’’s why I read!

Lida Berghuis
September 14th, 2011img_4219

being alone

Sep24

Being alone
Meant being alone with my thoughts
And emotions
No one to distract me!

Being alone
Meant being lonely
In a prison without walls

Being alone
Meant feeling all the feelings
I was running away from
The hurt that was unexpressed
The anger that was ignored
The resentments that were pushed under the carpet

No wonder
Being alone
Did not feel good!

All the emotions that I ran from
Needed to be dealt with
Because each time I was alone
They would appear like unwanted guests

To resolve these issues
I needed to have the courage
To change
The assurance that
Change was possible
That I was not a victim of circumstance
That I was the captain of my ship!

And what I learned is that
I needed to be the authentic me
Not the ‘expected’ me!
I needed to speak up and state my needs
I needed to create an environment
That was nurturing
I needed to think different
And therefore act differently
I needed to know
That it’s never too late to grow
Even in my forties!

Lida Berghuis
September 22nd, 2011

Children of half-light

Sep16

IMG_3847

Children of half-light
We sometimes know what’’s
Wrong and right
But when it comes to action
We falter and fall

We know kindness and honesty
Is where it’’s at
But sometimes we let in
Anger and lie despite that

We know we’’re all one
Black, brown and white
But we seem to forget that
At the crucial time

We know man and woman
Are equal in the sight of God
But we don’’t know how that
Translates into every day life

We know tact and wisdom
Are what we need
But where do we find
These commodities?

We know the value of friendship
And comradery
But don’’t take the time
To cultivate it

We know wealth and power
Are illusions
But that Mercedes looks
So good, nevertheless!

We know what we have
We can’’t take with us
But we accumulate
This earthly dust

We know salvation
Lies in virtues and love
But acquiring them
Can be a steep climb

Children of half-light
We struggle and learn
There is no fast way
To gain wisdom they say

Patience and compassion
For ourselves
Will ease our pain
And show us the way

Lida Berghuis
September 11th, 2011

Enchanted language

Sep11

white flower

Enchanted language
Words that heal
Words that awaken
Poetry!

A temple for the ear
A meditation hall
Staying alert to the promptings
Of the heart

To understand the inner life
To enhance spiritual life
To calm the nerves
And soothe the heart

Perfection not required
Words like water fall
Simplicity celebrated
Jargon left out

A solace in the
Times of need
In mourning
In recovering from trials

Poetry
The essence of life
Poetry
A wise friend, a guide

Lida Berghuisme
September 10th, 2011

*inspired by ‘The Poet’s Way’

If

Aug22

If you expect perfection
Don’’t come here
This is the abode of the imperfect

If you expect a smooth ride
Don’’t come here
This is the abode of challenges and trials

If you expect quick results
Don’’t come here
Only the patient will survive

If you expect rest and comfort
Don’’t come here
This is where one must strive

If you expect clarity
Don’’t come here
This is the home of questions and thought

If you can’t take pain
Don’’t come here
Pain is a part and parcel of this lot

If you aren’t persistent
Don’’t come here
Only the steadfast will thrive

This is the abode of the imperfect
The student, the one tried
This is the abode of joy and love
Where there are rainstorms and sunshine

Lida Berghuis
August 21st 2011

Now I know why I love poetry!

Aug18

Now I know why I love poetry
Because I can be free a as a bird
I can rhyme or not rhyme
I can be serious or silly
I can discuss material or spiritual stuff
I can discuss anything, or nothing at all

Now I know why I love poetry
Because it sets my spirit free
I can travel anywhere
I can meditate on anything
I am free to be who I am
There aren’’t many rules to restrict me

Now I know why I love poetry
Because it saved me when I was lost
It consoled me when I felt lonely
It made me realize what’’s important in life
It brought me joy and helped me fly

I felt enclosed in the cage of tradition at times
Always yearning for freedom
Poetry is what opened the gate
And let the bird of my spirit out!

Lida Berghuis
August 17th, 2011

the landscape within

Aug15

The poet explores the landscape within
Or what we sometimes call spirit

She ponders and prays
Reflects and meditates

From a place deep within
Thoughts flow out on paper

Is this inspiration?
Is it under her control?

Sometimes the words are thrust upon her
Like a torrent, strong!

Sometimes like gentle rain,
Drop by drop, they fall

Sometimes simple, sometimes complex
But always full of spirit and soul

Her words can bring tears to your eyes
Make you smile, or make you whole

Lida Berghuis
July 13th, 2011

Encoded within!

Aug14

“The markings may be considered to communicate in the same way as a single eloquent gesture that it would take a thousand words to describe.

They pay homage to the universal urge of every people to set down in some concrete form the abstract thoughts of their minds.

For each of us the only certain territory of the sacred in our own hearts.”

Lorraine Prichard

Encoded within…

The secret language of the spirit
Engraved in our hearts
Where the sacred comes to repose
Where mysteries are exposed

Encoded within
This universal language of love
Of compassion
Of the need to be needed
And the need to love

The secret language of the spirit
Unknown and yet known to all
Communicated by an eloquent gesture
Heart to heart

The secret language of the spirit
Some express it in lines
Some in words
Some in music
Some in other arts
But it’s all the same language
The language of love!

April 27th, 2006
Inspired by Lorraine Prichard’s show: Encoded within!

old habits

Aug12

Sometimes I hold on to an old habit with dear life!
I don’t question it or wonder why!
And if doubt creeps into my mind
I dismiss it: ‘go away, be gone!’

Then one day, I try something new
Just by chance, or due to someone else’s view
To my surprise, the new way works
It works even better that it should!

Now, I really question my assumptions, my past rules
Why did it take me so long to try something new?
I realize that I have to be open to learning at all times
Old habits can always be replaced by the new

The old way may not be wrong but there may be better ways
I pledge to be open to change
There is no harm in trying a different way
If I don’t like it, I can always go back to my old way

Lida Berghuis
July 4th, 2011

We are brought to humility

Aug6

imageWe are brought to humility
As we live our lives
The tests and trials of life
Do this for us
The bravado leaves
The arrogance starts to fade
Capital I becomes lower case i

There is no easy way
To tread this path
Easy does not give results
Don’’t look for the easy way
If you want to go far

Humility is learned
One lesson at a time
The journey is long

And what is humility
What is this rare commodity?

Perhaps it’s knowing
Our place in the big design
Perhaps it’’s knowing
How much we don’’t know
Perhaps it’’s letting go
Letting go of the ego

What does humility lead to?
Perhaps it releases us from
Needing to be right
Perhaps it opens our hearts
To new ways of thought
Perhaps it protects us
From the big fall
Perhaps it leads us
To a place of calm
Where we won’t need to prove ourselves
All the time

Lida Berghuis
August 6th, 2011