feel heart rejoice
when soul’s voice speaks
whose choice is love
Arrogance does reign
hoisting human nature’s gain ---
notwithstanding, we are led toward downfall pain.
Beyond towering pride
that offers us jubilant ride---
nevertheless, there awaits fatal stride.
Admitting weakness blight
we seek God’s help for righteous plight---
now, we walk along divine light.
Freed from selfishness-guile
we are braced to walk along kindness’ mile---
negating heart that projects fake smile.
Exuding confident meekness so vibrant
our spirits glow, graciously radiant
nestled in sincere faith*, serenely triumphant.
*Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
January 18, 2025
10th place, "Our natural state" Poetry Writing Premiere Contest
Sponsored by Unseeking Seeker; judged on 1/18/2025.
I am naturally friendly, or so I’ve been told
But that feels like bragging, exceedingly bold
A bit embarrassing, I tell you no lie
To tell you the truth, I’m naturally shy
When meeting new people I tend to clam up
So I smile and I nod and sip from my cup
Don’t know how to act or know what to say
I most honestly wish it wasn’t this way
An abundance of confidence I obviously lack
But I quietly listen and try to keep track
Then I’m able to answer, if questions arise,
as long as I don’t have to look in their eyes
It’s hard accept when a compliment’s made
I blush and I mumble on hearing what’s said
Hoping and praying they don’t find me rude
While feeling self conscious it also feels good
I could always go on and tell you some more.
But I won’t, you know, for I don’t want to bore
Well, there you have it, now do you see?
That natural shyness comes naturally to me
The sun begins the day,
Providing light to guide my way.
Yet still, I stumble upon
The weight of customs, illusions drawn.
I break each chain, one by one,
Unveiling life self-woven, undone.
Free from the weight of old deceits,
I walk where truth and freedom meet.
Vibrant as the flame within my core,
A light that whispers: “You are more.”
Nature, my guide, in canyon deep,
I breathe in silence, where rivers sweep.
Life flows on, a current bold,
Untamed, unbent, and uncontrolled.
With every step, I rise and see,
The light of Self, wild and free.
No agenda rests, no shelf to fill,
Just life unfolding, as it will.
Au Natural, our first birthday suits
soon obscured by zip-up rompers and baby boots
Baby’s not embarrassed by her appearance
insecure parents run interference
Next up, movement-control
baby must not dance to rock-‘n-roll
‘Grown-ups’ crush baby’s curiosity
‘No-ing’ all instincts exploratory...
Forever unchain inquisitive wonts
~ Viva la au natural renaissance
Entry in 'Our Natural State' contest
Sponsor: Unseeking Seeker
Date: Jan. 14, 2025
Gershon Wolf
If age is a constant then daydreams and nightmares
will cease to exist when the best of life is achieved
as maturity stabilizes at a level of immaturity favors
the innocence in confidence-mired ill-retrieved
those hopelessly enwrapped by rhetorical triggers
stemmed by the proposer amongst the ill-believed
'tis liken a heist at gunpoint to corner those regretters
to have brains (methinks) to cusps their mind deceived
and churned their souls to enter their relievers
and entertain the premature notion that they conceived
participants to ascertain the wherewithal of achievers
better or best consciously the line of inquiry perceived
to mull over and enter the zone as one of the leavers
to post with the best, to the winners be my best-wished.
Free from the world’s stress,
Away from its nonsense and mess,
The mind is free from distress,
Nothing suppresses the soul’s access.
Free to embrace the light,
There are no tendrils of the night,
The pathway is radiant and bright,
This is the soul’s might.
Unbound by gloom,
Sunlight pervades the room,
Hope arises from the tomb,
There’s a forestalling of the approaching doom.
Unbound by the world’s perplexity,
The mind is out of the sea of complexity,
Gone to the flames is every enmity,
The carriage is a renewed entity.
Life!
Can it be figured out in one’s entire life span?
Come with no preoccupied goals and aspirations
The moment we come, we‘re entangled in the web of desires.
Desires lead to all predicaments.
Scriptures preach not to stoop down to wants!
Simultaneously, rituals take us into their hands.
They proclaim decrees for dos and don’ts.
Born free, but everywhere in chains (Rousseau) Exactly!
It’s a conflict between man’s innate freedom and societal constraints.
Man can’t live without getting into social contract.
Once it happens, it won’t let us be free.
We’re supposed to go with an agenda
Otherwise, the society finds no purpose in our living.
Beliefs are fetters, though conditioned or not.
Fetters are the same whether golden or iron.
How we manipulate the conditioned belief matters the most.
It should be like the bonding between a lotus leaf and a water drop.
To make life vibrant and flow on all by itself,
Go after the philosophy of Karma.
“Work incessantly, but don’t be attached to it.”
Beneath the noise of borrowed truths
and the weight of clocks that chime with urgency,
there lies a quiet field—vast, untamed,
where the soul remembers its original name.
No walls, no maps, no mirrors to hold us;
only the steady rhythm of breath,
the pulse of being untouched by thought.
Here, the sky is not a question
but a boundless answer,
its blue stretching into forever,
inviting us to dissolve.
The rivers do not seek their course;
they flow, as we do,
when freed from the dams of desire.
Conditioned beliefs fall away like autumn leaves,
leaving the stark beauty of the bare branch—
vibrant, unburdened, alive.
The Self glows, not as a beacon,
but as light that needs no witness.
There is no agenda here,
no shelf to hold the books of becoming.
Life flows on—effortless, infinite—
as we step into the stream,
not as swimmers, but as water itself.
Line of Inquiry:
"free from conditional belief
no agenda on our shelf
vibrant as the light of self
life flows on all by itself"
Unseeking Seeker
I have always since a young girl been a free thinker,
listening but honoring my beliefs;
yes, other peoples opinions and views still linger,
but mostly, I just let them drift off like fallen leafs.
I do like a good debate back and forth to a point,
can calmly state my opinion to all;
and always respect another persons viewpoint,
but, lets be clear for no one will I crawl.
If you do not agree with me I have no agenda,
for revenge or to make you change;
I will keep my beliefs and walk away by surrender,
even if you think I am very strange.
I am a peaceful girl and believe in self,
and there is a burning light within me;
my father taught me to believe in myself,
and I feel his life force flowing and it sets me free.
Old teachers,
elders, ministers, gurus, coaches -
your influence recedes.
Something new approaches.
Thank you for your contribution
to my mixed-up confusion.
Sorry, now, to see you go,
as you uphold the status quo,
or support your fine ego,
maybe make a little dough.
No, I must let go
of your hand to hold,
as I leave the fold.
New teachers,
now come into focus,
hummingbird,
your magic is not hocus-pocus,
as a flower you might try.
Caterpillar, butterfly,
you would never lie,
nor would eagles as they fly
so high up in the sky.
Every animal and plant,
each red and li'l black ant,
just like clouds, and sun and moon
keeping time to a celestial tune,
they know just what to do,
and where to go,
and I love them so.
Remain
within your truth
Embrace your pain
understand its nature
Reach into
its origins
Bathe in the blood
of your silent victims
Break the silence
And release what was misunderstood.