Diwali

Historical representation 

The return of a light force

Joy and comfort rejoiced 

Reality check

Light is omnipresent 

Even in the darkest of times

Not only does it dance

At the break of dawn

In the twinkle of stars

But in the hurl of waves

In the flicker of eyes 

And roar of laughter 

I came as light

Much like a blow torch

Universally charged

The force, the light

Burns, sustains 

Every breath, every day

My casing ages

Disintegrates

As my light remains constant 

The day will come

When it’s work for me is done

Then silently it moves on

Cherishing this light

Without which 

I am mere dust

Befriending

Understanding 

Appreciating

My light 

It chose me 

It is me 

Being happy

In my light

Celebrate my Diwali 

Plenitude

Magnificent simplicity 

Delicately glorious 

Profoundly present 

Regally virtuous 

Composition unique 

Yet familiarity opens

My heart once more

And a warmth released

How far we stray

In this world 

Of asphalt and tar

Where trees are cleared

Where creatures made homeless 

And man banks

Another buck

And builds yet another city

When will we learn

When will we remember 

The ecosystem 

The cosmos 

All rotate, revolve 

In a natural order

When a simple rose

One of a million

Can tell the story

Of a divine perfection 

And inspire a gratuitous love

From your deepest vault

This is the gift

Not of a dozen roses

But merely just one

As housed in her

The depth of a beauty

Is the same for me 

The same for you

Glow and yield

To what is nature’s 

Rhyme and reason

Love and grace

And accept the abundant plenitude 

Grief Postponed


He’s gone

A lifetime of 83 years

One last breath

And he’s gone

Absence

Silence 

Reminders

And then the pain

With no time to absorb 

No time to feel

Only the processes, the needs

Of affairs to be resolved

Dictating an attention

Refusing

Postponing 

The grief 

And now with only space

And a sudden influx of time 

Comes the pain, the tears

For he really is gone

Will you hold my hand…

Will you…
Hold my hand for a little while?
I don’t need you to save me
No need for you to fix anything
No need for you to hold my pain
But will you simply hold my hand?
I do not need your words
Your thoughts
Nor your shoulders to carry me
But will you sit here for a while with me?
Whilst my tears they stream
Whilst my heart it shatters
Whilst my mind plays tricks on me
Will you with your presence let me know that I am not alone, whilst I wander into my inner unknown?
For my darkness is mine to face
My pain is mine to feel
And my wounds are mine to heal
But will you sit with me here, while I courageously show up for it all my dear?
For I am bright because of my darkness
Beautiful because of my brokenness
And strong due to my tender heart
But will you take my hand lovingly, when I sometimes journey into the dark?
I don’t ask for you to take my darkness away
I don’t expect for you to brighten my day
And I don’t believe that you can mend my pain
But I would surely love if you could sit for a while and hold my hand, until I find my way out of my shadowland!
So will you…
Hold my hand until I return again?”~

~Zoe Johansen ~

Posting this poem as it is so fitting to the moment captured above between my dad and I on his last day here on Earth🙏

Epitome of being Loved

The universe has conspired

Conspired for your existence

Not against you but for you

The coming together of time

The alignment of elements

Molecules, atoms,

Wind, air, dirt

Yes it has all conspired

That you may be here

That you may feel, see, think, love

Do you feel your existence

The rhythm in which you sway

Can you connect to your source

Can you find the wavelength

Where the eternal sits within you

Be still, be quiet

And the space will find you, hold you

….fulness….

Ironically coined is ‘mind-ful-ness’

As we know only too well

How to continuously over think

And invariably this leads to confusion

Doubt

And ultimately is limiting, crippling

Perhaps we need to be

More of ‘heart-ful-ness’

And less of mind

Heartfulness brings 

Fruition to feelings 

Of empathy, friendship, trust

Naturally bringing forth

Kindness, love, compassion

Unity and oneness

Which then allows a joyful contentment

A happy gratefulness

An ultimate peacefulness

Such a short distance

From heart to mind

Yet at times they seem as if a million miles apart

Sometimes we even confuse

One for the other

Do you know the difference in their voices?

One will say you must do this or that

The other will say nothing

Letting you feel your way there

Perhaps there are no right or wrongs

But be assured

When you listen to your heart

The answers will be waiting

And your peace and sanity

Have the chance to be restored