like the rock for the centipede
or the shell for the hermit
take refuge under the moon
as the world goes quiet.
with silence like a serpent
taking shelter from the wet ground
anchor in gratitude
for the day that was had.
amidst your silenced tongue
there are sentences waiting to be spoken.
amongst your alienated adversities
awaits acceptance.
On looking into the mirror, I saw
a thousand bits of myself;
a woman who like Janus, with twin faces~
one looking backward to the past, to learn
the other forward, to hope and plan.
Saw a warrior, brave and indomitable~
fighting adversities and hardships
not because she is unbreakable
but because she knows so well
that the sun will rise after every sunset.
I know one
Who is most poised
And enameled with the
Likes of patience so rare.
For the longest time,
Pain has been her companion.
But she stands calm and still,
Refusing to allow pain to define her.
Through the blinding fog of mishaps;
Through the dark clouds of misfortune;
Through the many storms of adversities;
I see no shouts of 'Why me?", but a smile.
I am arrested and captured
By her enduring spirit
And deeply inspired
By her seasoned faith.
Like lions lay lurking for their prey,
Back injuries and vehicular accidents
Have tried to put her away. But come
What may, the faithful Christian lady stands.
Even in blasts of winter, I never lose hope,
I wait for spring to come when new sprouts pop
When leaves appear to crown every treetop
When autumn in turn brings a bumper crop.
Even when my sky turns dark, I clutch on to hope
In all adversities and heartbreaks, it helps me cope
I nurture trust and dream big dreams, nonstop
My trip into a fantasy world, none can stop.
In sultry summer, hope falls on me as raindrop
Cooling my mind as morning’s lustrous dewdrop.
When my days grow darker, still I cling onto hope,
As the drowning man holds firmly to a dangling rope.
Through shadowy nights, like the blind as I grope,
And when my feet stagger, hope becomes my prop.
It, thus becomes to every man a powerful dope,
Lending dreams a new horizon and wider scope.
I Walk Into The Fire to be One with the Flames
and by the Heat of Causation, I Liberate
Ever - So Valiant, where there Is Stagnation there is No Sword
Onward I Triumph, Inward I Transform
by Negation, there is No Hope
by Faith, I find a Way, and by The Way I Go
Up the High Roads beyond High Hopes
I Am Unfettered, Unshackled, Reposed
I Burn Bright, for Light is Thy Inheritance
to Skies Above, I Glide up the Riptide of Elements
Ever-Soaring, never cease in Adversities
above the lesser we are all Robed in Solar Lucidity,
we all come from source, Tap Into The Light Soul
I Am Truth Glistening in Light Codes,
I Am Luminous like Emerald Stones
treading with the Inner Congregation of Flow,
I Am Heliacal, Ever-Upward is Thy Great Song
I Walk Into The Fire and become The Sun, Thus is where I belong
Going back to adolescent days...
that invisible angel stood near me,
I prayed and he was more than delighted;
if I fell, he would lift my feeble arms
and avoid any harm done to me:
doesn't God assign angels to each child?
On many winter evenings, mom told me about Jesus
born of humblest origin, what he preached was
a revelation that stunned all: each one of us
was a perfect creation, an image of His Father
sitting on the throne, watching us from afar:
is distance measured in miles or in thoughtfulness?
Invisible as he was, he breathed hard on me
to invigorate awareness of the surroundings
created by a single command, not by hands;
the farther I went, the quicker he followed me:
the narrow paths I travelled to reach those sturdy mountains
were the milestones I have pursued to conquer all adversities!
Do I feel totally betrayed when that invisible angel
refuses to stand near me? Isn't guilt reproving me?
It's time I accused myself of being a sinful individual,
cleared this obsessed mind of carnal desires to avoid Hell;
when transgressions diverge from the holiness of soul,
don't be caught between fear and death: get up and flee!
My gaze is high up above
black as it can be.
Every stars in the sky
are all my tears,
Hung in there patiently
waiting to fall.
In joy and sadness always
come unexpectedly,
Specially when heart is weary
and mind is blowingly blank.
But these stars so heavy
like a world carrying my back.
The annoying background
adds a long look of doubts,
Straight to the road I trod
wagging foot to step in.
The system of this world sigh
me in courage to do full force.
Loading success is a waiting game
of triumph to adversities,
Resting below my knees
is the summation of what's life ahead.
“The aforesaid five objects, which are the negative attributes of the five electricities, being combined produce the idea of gross matter in its five forms: Ki, solids; Ap, liquids; Tejas, fire; Marut, gaseous substances; and Akasa, ether.
These five forms of gross matter and aforesaid fifteen attributes, together with Manas, Mind, sense consciousness; Buddhi, discriminative Intelligence; Chitta, the Heart or power of feeling; and Ahamkara, the Ego, constitute the twenty-four basic principles of creation.”
~ extract from ‘The Holy Science’
In the realm of heaven, our eye is single
but with no adversities to overcome,
so the one becomes two and then they jingle
propelled by the power of the cosmic hum
and in the five elements they commingle,
ego distanced from heart, though soul is welcome.
Poised thus in subject-object relationship,
we discover God when love is our flagship.
Heart of mine throbs with triumph
grateful for exposure to life yon survival
while beholding beauty of kindness
midst faith's navigating compass.
Likewise, my soul keeps on worshipful
seeking for God’s approval and favor
basking in His grace, mercy, compassion
along faith's childlike trust.
Despite challenges and trials
my spirit strives toward victorious claim
vanquishing adversities while reaching-out
with faith* cleaving to the Omnipotent hand.
Steadfastly clinging to divine help
I continue on, delighting in my journey
doing my best, inspiring others
as faith increases, glowing with vibrant hope.
*Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
August 15, 2025
2nd place, "Pick-A-Title, Vol 54" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Edward Ibeh; judged on 9/5/2025
If I could rewrite the sentences of my past. The
Adversities, Challenges, Exhaustion. My Past is not Me
I often questioned myself, Why these mental games?
Emotional, Confusion, Manipulation from familiar.
People aI thought to be trusted bMy Past is not Me
She wasn't fed from a golden spoon yet Persistence,
Resilience are now her friends
Strategic wars hovered over her mind let's dive in.
Self awareness, Denial? Comparisons little did she know deep within it was someone known with games of
Power for control.
She gave the keys to her heart only for her past to
used against her to make to feel like a puppet on
strings. My Past is not Me
Is she's in the driver's seat? She no longer retaliates
She's detached from calculated manipulation.
Bread crumbs she doesn't chase, She no longer falls
for the bait. Will familiar faces ever let her get to the
Finish line?
Constantly spinning webs on her next move only to be reminded of her past for sport. My Psst is not Me
were it not for
the vibrant bliss current
would we remain equanimous
in the face of adversities
twirled about by fate
“For the light of truth to appear ~
Negate each desire and every fear”
~ quote by poet
Although I dwell in decaying form,
I know I’m not this organic body mind,
since in deep meditation I’ve been, seen and so known,
truth of my pure, eternal being, at a singularity point,
living light, at peace, feeling complete.
To discern the truth, the pathless path simply requires this:
oscillate attention between objects and space, as a nonchalant witness.
Earth is a school, where in pulse dual, overcoming adversities
we grow in love, wisdom and in power,
which is the will of God.
This is my truth, which I have imbibed by touch,
a knowing available to all, at any moment in time,
upon shifting from head to heart,
blissful presence recognising life as but a dream.
Poetry Soup abounds in poets who are special in unique ways and for me it was so hard to single out just one. So I was reluctant to join this contest. However at the last moment, I thought of choosing one, Edward Ibeh, a true gentleman in my eyes, who never comes to limelight, except for the contests he holds from time to time.
E - Effective words in place, a poet’s grace.
D - Diligent in duties and devoted to virtue in every place.
W- Wisdom and humility combine in this forbearing soul.
A - Authentic heart that cherishes life in its whole.
R - Radiates kindness like a guiding light.
D - Dignified in character, making many hearts bright.
I – Illustrious poet with a passion for his art, so genuine.
B - Braving adversities, in family and community shine.
E - Elevates fellow poets, giving due respect to all.
H - Honorable in every way, he's a gentlemanly soul.
"Bring it, life, all your adversities...they only strengthen me!" - quote by poet.
oh, adversity...
haven't you exhausted
all efforts
to knock me off my equilibrium,
to make me
cry a river?
you came to break me in two
yesterday
with bells on;
jiggling around your ankles.
instead, all you got in return was
only....a shrug.
you saw no sign
of weakness on the surface
or deep within me.
you waited for tears
that never came.
you kept on poking
yet your needle pricks
didn't make me wince
you stabbed me with daggers
that never punctured my skin
or made me bleed....
are you disappointed?
surprised that your sharp weapons
cause me no pain,
but instead, tickle me?
go ahead, keep making me
stronger.....
morning coffee delayed by an hour
we view as fortunate this earth life test
it lets us check if our mood has gone sour
such are adversities we overcome in light jest
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