NOT DEFEATED
A HAIKU
Dancing in circles
leaves me dizzy and distressed
but not defeated.
SWIM THROUGH
Sometimes we must swim through
the dark murky waters
until we reach the sparkling blue.
I DANCED IN CIRCLES
I danced in circles
Repeating the same mistakes
I danced in the darkness
That I made
I danced on my tip toes
Constantly being afraid
I danced with others
While I was being betrayed
I danced with everything in me
In an effort to persuade
But I continued dancing
Until I learned to move
In a straight line
Until the dark left
And the light did shine
Until fear
Was no longer mine
Until I found others
Who were genuine
Until the atmosphere I created
Was benign
SONG OF THE SWAN
I created my own purgatory
Trying to right my wrongs
Admiring the swans in all their glory
While singing my woeful songs
But I left to rewrite my story
And transform into a swan
Waking to an array of morning glories
And sleeping with moon flowers all night long
TO FALL AND CLIMB
I have been down –
As far as I could go.
I don't know how I got there –
It happened oh so slow.
I felt the flames of hell,
And my mouth was parched and dry.
My life as I once knew it
Faded before my eyes.
I watched in shock
As others were content –
When all that I could do
Was write another lament.
I didn't want to be there –
There was no way that I could stay.
So I danced alone –
A hopeful ballet.
My tutu was scorched
And out of style.
My slippers were lost
Amongst all that was vile.
But I did not belong there
In the depths of hell.
Yes, I was there –
I admit that I fell.
As I continued to dance
And hold on to hope,
From the sky
Fell a golden rope.
I climbed a little
Day by day
As others watched
In dismay.
I could hear joyous cries
Cheering me on from up above.
Finally – instead of hate
I heard and felt love.
I made it to the top –
It took days upon days.
I had burns from the rope –
But at last – I could feel the sun's golden rays.
DANCING THROUGH MY PAST
I danced through my past –
the parts that caused me pain
so that I could come to peace with them
and put their fire out with rain.
I danced through bullying –
through murder and suicide.
I danced with my past addictions too.
With each memory,
I forced myself to dance through.
It was difficult – but I see
that I am not the things I have done
nor the things that have happened to me.
I FOUND ME
A VILLANELLE
I did search the world for my one love true
Of course the sweetest love would set me free
(I just knew that I would have a breakthrough)
To find someone as sweet as morning dew
And make me feel as calm as the blue sea
I did search the world for my one love true
It was something that I had to pursue
And I found many willing to agree
(I just knew that I would have a breakthrough)
Rather than love, I think I found the flu
Still, I did continue on my love spree
I did search the world for my one love true
I was nearly ready to just be through
When with new eyes, I saw my daughters three
(I just knew that I would have a breakthrough)
As I nurtured myself and as I grew
I found me – I found me – yes, I found me
I did search the world for my one love true
(I just knew that I would have a breakthrough)
ANOTHER DAY
Some days it is a struggle to not go insane –
to not get drowned by pouring rain.
My only goals are not to sink
and not to overthink.
And that is perfectly okay –
because I've accomplished a lot
by merely escaping the flames of another day.
CHAPTER 3: PERFECTLY YOU
EASY TO DECEIVE
It's easy to become someone else –
to paint ourselves how we see fit.
We can change how we look,
talk and act – putting on a great show.
But soon enough, we will look in the mirror
and ourselves we won't know.
And it's fake – the affections
and compliments we may receive.
It's easy to deceive –
we can even make ourselves believe.
But in the end – we are the thieves
of our true identity.
So instead of betraying ourselves,
let's save acting for the stage
and be our true selves –
exactly as we were made to be.
Only we can perform our dance perfectly,
and that in itself alone
is worthy of a bow and curtsy.
DANCE
keep
D a n c i n g
in
your
own
unique
wAy.
- beiNg different Creates bEauty.
TRUE TO YOU
Being true to you
while you recognize
and work on your flaws
is the most beautiful thing
that you can do.
BEYOND
When you feel
anything less than special,
reach into your soul –
pull out all the beauty
and wonder within –
and know that you are
beyond special.
Just as their are no words
able to give justice to
the glowing moon,
so it is with you.
MOST IMPORTANT WORDS
Words can hurt and words can heal,
but the most important words
are the ones you say to yourself.
You must look at yourself in the mirror
and say kind things.
Tell yourself “I love you.”
Say it over and over
until it really pulls at your heartstrings.
Encourage rather than discourage.
Repeat “I can, I can, I can.”
And when you feel weak, say it yet again.
Words can hurt and words can heal,
but the most important words
are the ones you say to yourself.
EVERYTHING
Don't ever forget your value
or let anyone diminish your worth.
You are as special and lovely
as the last rose on the face of the earth.
You are the summer, the autumn,
the winter and spring.
You are more costly,
more charming, more dear
&nb
sp; than a flawless diamond ring
that is nestled tightly between
platinum and cobalt with a brilliant sheen.
Never, ever forget that you are everything.
CHRYSALIS
See the beauty in your madness –
and embrace your darkest days,
knowing that everything you endure
creates a piece of who you are –
for each chrysalis you overcome
strengthens the wings of your deepest being.
YOU SHINE
You felt the pain from glass
and the flames of fire –
but look now
at what you have become.
Diamond fragments
cover your body and soul.
You were being refined
so that you could shine.
Visualize all that you are
until you can see it,
touch it and feel it –
each beautiful
facet of your being.
CHAPTER 4: EXTINGUISHING FLAMES
I WILL CONTINUE DANCING
Even when I feel weak,
I will find my wings.
When I feel melancholy,
I will find my voice to sing.
When I am told I can't jump,
I will mount into the air
with feet of springs.
When I am told I will sink,
I will kiss coral while snorkeling.
When answers are absent,
I will not cease in seeking.
When love cannot be found,
I will take up self-romancing.
And even when the fire stings,
I will continue dancing.
SWEET SPOT
No self-esteem –
thinking too highly
of yourself –
self-love –
loving others
too much
or not enough.
- Finding that sweet spot is important.
KEYS OF APPROVAL
We cannot control others;
we can only control ourselves.
And by truly understanding that –
we can save ourselves a great deal
of pain and distress.
We can rid ourselves of the burden
of trying to persuade
someone to come clean
and finally confess.
Others will act how they want
and do as they please,
but we can choose to remain calm
without giving them the keys
of our approval.
A LETTER TO MY MIND
Dear mind,
I know that you cannot control the world,
but I demand that you take control of yourself.
I refuse to allow your thoughts to destroy me.
Love,
me
THE LIGHT INSIDE REIGNS
A VILLANELLE
As I win this internal hurricane
And I embrace new thoughts to replace old
The dark exits and the light inside reigns
I will recite positive thoughts and train
My mind until I have it well controlled
As I win this internal hurricane
As I refuse to go at all insane
And in my mind I construct a stronghold
The dark exits and the light inside reigns
Negative and toxic thoughts I will drain
And see past the deception of fool's gold
As I win this internal hurricane
As I let nature heal with cleansing rain
And rid me of impurities and mold
The dark exits and the light inside reigns
As I break free from self-inflicted chains
My thoughts will be the purest form of gold
As I win this internal hurricane
The dark exits and the light inside reigns
WHATEVER I MUST
Caught up
In my thoughts
I need to hit pause
Step away
Get away
Do whatever I must
Whatever I need
To hinder the thoughts
From entangling me
So I do it
Because I choose
To be at ease
FEAR'S LULLABY
Fear, go to sleep.
I'll sing you a lullaby.
I'll kiss you deeply
before sending you off to die.
You serve me no purpose.
You don't bring sweet dreams.
All you have to offer
is regret and sorrowful screams.
So sleep,
sleep,
sleep.
Because I will no longer
weep,
weep,
weep.
NUMBERS
They use to bother me –
the numbers
that appear
everywhere –
on my clothes –
on my birthday –
on the scale,
but those numbers –
they can go to hell.
- They don't mean a thing.
DEEP WATERS
Don't just wade.
You must go
deep into the waters
and confront your fears –
don't be afraid.
SIMPLE WATERS
Swim away
from negativity
and toxicity
to reach waters
abounding in
simplicity.
I WILL ALWAYS TRY
A VILLANELLE
I will not give up – I will always try
I'll set fire to the pain of yesterday
While I dance with the glow of a firefly
If I get scorched as I fly in the sky
I will extinguish the flames in a bay
I will not give up – I will always try
I will continue in the air and fly
And treat each day like it's a holiday
While I dance with the glow of a firefly
I will adorn and I will beautify
Everything that I can that comes my way
I will not give up – I will always try
I will do what I must to mollify
Any pain away as I pirouette
While I dance with the glow of a firefly
I will wipe each healing tear from my eyes
And treat myself like a precious bouquet
I will not give up – I will always try
While I dance with the glow of a firefly
HOLD ON
See the twinkling stars
and the crescent moon.
Hold on to that beauty –
hold on to that hope.
Soon enough
the stars will multiply
and the moon will be full.
WHERE YOU ARE
Take courage –
stand up tall –
for if you fall
there's only
one place to go.
All things
that go low
will eventually
go high.
So wherever
you are,
be there wholeheartedly.
Allow yourself to fly
at different heights
at different times.
SNAPSHOTS
Life is not always beautiful and bright,
but it is those moments of delight
that make it worth the fight –
the snapshots in your mind
that you can go back and find
to meditate on as they remind
of all the times life has chosen to be kind.
Hold them tight – hold them dear
so that when you need them they will appear.
INNER CALM
Concentrate on
your inner calm –
; the place that feels like
the soft breath of the wind,
the still of the sea,
and delicately swaying palm trees.
LETTING GO
It's okay to see things as magical –
to see the world through a child's eyes.
We can once again
be mesmerized by sand castles
and find pleasure in falling snow.
We don't have to lose excitement
as we grow –
we need only know
that our inner child is within us
waiting for us to let go.
REFINED BY FIRE
I stare
at the fire
in a
hypnotic state
as it glows
in saffron
and crimson,
and I let it
destroy
everything in me
that I
no longer
desire.
it owns
my heart
I breathe it in
I bleed it out
with ink
or with
keystrokes
I see it
in my mind
I rehearse
it out loud
Dancing Through the Flames Page 2