Tag Archive | Poetry

The maze of life

Oct6

We start at one corner
Seeking the goal
The way out
We make some false starts
But that’s a must

No perfect way to traverse the maze
Each one chooses a different way

Even though the destination
Seems to be the goal
Each time we make it
Through a maze
We will be invited to start again

No need to rush
Through the maze of life
Better to go slow
Meditate a while
One good move
Better than a few wrong ones

Once we’ve been through
A maze or two
We’ll see the pattern
Discover the groove

We’ll see the value
Of reflection and a slower pace
We’ll realize that there’s no hurry
To get to the end

We’ll focus on the process
Of getting there
Accumulate wisdom
On the way

The maze of life
Passes through desserts dry
Mountains high
Rivers that rush
And forests, lush
The secret is not to give up
When the going gets tough
Not to fear challenges and hard times
They are the most valuable times

The maze of life
Full of twists and turns
The one who designed it
Knew the secret!

Lida Berghuis
September 18th, 2011

The blessed shore of sleep

Oct1

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The blessed shore of sleep
I arrive there every night
And what a relief it is
To rest my mind

Often, as I put my head on the pillow
I smile
Knowing that I can leave daily life behind
With decisions that need to be made
The tasks that need to be completed
The emotions that need to be experienced
The feelings I need to let go of

Sleeping and dreaming
Like recess for the mind
A time to let go
A time with no agendas
No struggles
No musts

A time to listen to the voices
Of our ancestors
A time to travel to distant lands
And see with different eyes

And once the morning comes
I wake up
And I’’m ready to face another day
A day of juggling mind and heart
Knowing that sleep awaits
When my mind needs to slow down

Lida Berghuis
September 22nd, 2011

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

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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!