General

Alone but never lonely

In the shadows, watching rays so bright
Afraid to be seen, entwined with night

Isn’t it enough to feel all emotions
but only stay intimate with own passions
To care when needed but hoard all devotion
Embracing within, answers to my questions

Seen reflections of what could, and might
The things only I can answer right

Alone but never lonely

This family came to me

Not through blood or heart, but from afar
For my wailing calls met no answer

As I reached for souls so near yet beyond me
All my smattering summons, not meant to be
Yet still I heard the call, climbed the hills to see
And I changed, and I became, I paid the fee

I now find home in feelings bizarre
Epiphanies from peace’s reservoir.

This family came to me

There is no law that binds one…

this week’s Poetry Reading Prompt “How To Be Alone”

(you can watch it here)

by Reena of https://reinventionsreena.wordpress.com/2022/05/19/reenas-xploration-challenge-231/ is so inspiring that i am up for another response.

the poem speaks highly of how to love yourself – alone, without the need for other people’s approval and love. sometimes, our desire to belong and to be loved is what kept us trapped in an abusive relationship. and i don’t just mean here abusive relationship between a couple. this may surprise you but relationships between and among friends and relatives could be abusive too. it happens normally when one party is the one always giving and understanding.

“you need to control your habit of forgetting to breathe”, “there is a you telling another story of you. Listen to her.”these lines from the poem struck me the most.

Call It Whatever You Want

sarcasm
arrogance
small insults
call it whatever you…

PROMPT #231

“I ask you for two minutes of your valuable time. Listen to the poem in this insightful video.”

I await your reflections on whatever thoughts arise in you.

➰➰➰

Being alone is different from loneliness

I am never lonely, because I’m always with myself

But being alone is a state that I cherish sometimes

At times, company is good, and family or friends welcomed

But then too much noise, too much hustle-bustle

Makes me crave a bit of solitude and a bit of quietude

Where I can hear myself think

Where my heart, my soul talks to my Creator

If I don’t get my much-desired me-time, I make it for myself

By sitting alone in the quiet of the night and thinking, deep thoughts!

➰➰➰

Written for RXC # 231, hosted by Reena

#Keepitalive

#RXC

Longing to Belong

How can I belong when I long
for something different,

when life holds little
more than disappointment?

I take a deep breath every time
I wonder if I’m meant to be here,

yet I continue to listen
when my voices ask these questions.

How can I dismiss them, any more
than dreams that offer alternatives?

I am most alive when I embrace
the anxiety they hold.

Is it madness to question
whether I am where I belong?

 

This is my response to Reena’s Xploration Challenge #231. Reena offers a video poem, “How to Be Alone” by Pádraig Ó Tuama, as inspiration. I’ll embed that video, but here is a link to the text of the original poem: How To Belong Be Alone | The On Being Project

 

Never

how many times have you forgotten that you ain’t the story of your past
that you ain’t just a mere reflection of what happened. of a narrative once told
you ain’t that.
never.

i know it feels like dying every day knowing that somewhere out there
a story has to be told a reality you’ve long avoided
but the world doesn’t end even when your story
doesn’t end the way you want it
it won’t end.
never.

how many times have you convinced yourself
to just smile amidst the pain
to just breathe when it’s suffocating
to walk away gracefully from things and people
that don’t contribute to your
well being
don’t give up.
never.

i know you are wiser than your inhibitions
you are better than your problems
you are stronger when in doubt
you are resilient when tested by fate
you are tougher when confronted by fear

Some people get lonely when they are alone and others need some time for themselves.  The Covid-19 crisis made a lot of people feel like they were alone, because of the social distancing guidelines.  Being alone is not necessarily a bad thing, unless you are shipwrecked and stuck all by yourself with out any access to the internet.  Loneliness is a perceived emotion and it is felt differently by everyone.  If you are all alone, you should try to embrace the solitude, instead of becoming depressed and filled with anxiety.  Getting in touch with your inner self is much easier to do when you are alone, because you don’t have any distractions.  Most people don’t really know their true selves, and this is a great time for you to reflect on how your life is going and also do things that make you feel good.  Your thoughts and feelings are…

Reena’s Xploration Challenge #230

Prompt #230

Treat the two images as two stages, and write about what happened in between. You can change the order as you wish, or even add more stages in between.

missing our heated discussions

agreeing

disagreeing

over

cups of tea or coffee

hot snacks

after

meeting was over

warm handshakes

hugs

promises of meeting again

now

everything is virtual

still

more success

can’t

replace the

flavor

of

one to one

meetings

The path beckons
eyes inwards,
I begin the journey
self-discovery
never easy
I am ready
to pay the price
peace is never cheap.

Written for Sadje’s wdys.