Category Archives: Poetry

Poems, 100-word stories, memoirs, vignettes and other French words

Poem: Let Me Be the Bridge …a prayer

2013-06-16 Samcheonpo Sightseeing Cruise (23)

2013-06-16 Samcheonpo Sightseeing Cruise (23)

Where there is a gap
Let me be the bridge

Where there is a lock
Let me be the key

Where there is fear
Let me be love

..

About the poem:

Setting an intention is a skill that most of us aren’t taught early in life. Instead of worrying and waiting to see what happens, it’s more effective (and more fun!) to set an intention for harmony and understanding in all of our interactions.

After writing this poem, I’m reminded of the beautiful Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi: “Let me be an instrument of your peace, …”

(The photo was taken on Sunday on a sightseeing cruise near my home in Samcheonpo, South Korea. I love how the mom has her hand on the baby’s head and is holding her son’s hand. )

About the author:

Joan Gregerson writes about how to enjoy life, sharing tidbits she has learned over the past 52 years. She is passionate about this: that love is IT, baby! Let’s find ways to do IT better together.

I can also say that although this a prayer, I have no frickin’ clue who the prayer is going out to. And also, I know that it works just fine that way.

Poem: Messy

You’re not too messy

You’re not too messed up

There can never be an amount of guilt and shame

Nothing from your past

That will prevent us from

Loving you

Forgiving you

Appreciating you

Seeing the possibilities for change

Believing in you.

We can do it,

But the important question is,

Can you?

 

..

About the poem:

Until we can really love and approve of ourselves, nothing is going to change. How can you show yourself the true love you would show to your dearest friend? You deserve it. Healing begins when you grant yourself that love.

I heard this message when I attended the Al-Anon 12-step program meetings, again and again. We learned that we were not unique, and that others suffered from similar situations. In the 12-step programs, we learned how to share our strength, hope and experience. This powerful combination changes lives, cleaning up some rather messy situations!

Poem: The Heroic Pause

In that space between
What you’ve finished
And what you want to start next
There is a heroic pause

Don’t be fooled
Into thinking
You are waiting
Or killing time

Right now
The universe has cleared a space for you
In this heroic pause
You can move free of the binds of
The daily life that will soon engulf you
You are the one
The one that can dance
Or swoop in
You can help carry a heavy burden
Or sit for hours bedside

You are the superhero
In the drama unfolding before your eyes

Lace up your shoes
Slick back your hair
Get comfy in your shiny suit
It’s showtime for
Your heroic pause

..

About the poem:
I don’t believe in ‘waiting’ anymore. Every time is an important time in our lives. And from recent examples, I can see that those few weeks, months or years between our ‘normal’ lives, is often when something really valuable is happening in a family or relationship. It is these pauses, where someone has more time and leeway to respond, that evolution often happens …alcoholism is finally overcome, or a conflicted relationship is healed, or a family bonds together after an emotional or financial crisis.

Are you really stuck right now or are you actually in a ‘heroic pause’?

Poem: A Small Trophy

image

Instead of just thinking about it,
When I actually…

Do the dishes
Take out the recycling
Fold the laundry
Sweep the floor
Balance my checkbook
Call during business hours
Exercise
or
Make a salad

When I complete any one of these
When I meet the challenge
And triumph
A small trophy will do

When I get the baby to sleep
A slightly bigger one
A high five
A quiet round of applause
And a foot massage
Would be fine, thanks!

..

Poem: Dark Alleys Don’t Scare Me

When I’m walking somewhere
Dark and scary
I hold your hand

I think you are an angel
Or maybe Jesus
Or maybe pure energy
Or maybe my dad

I don’t hear a voice usually
Just feel a warm presence
That dissipates all fear

Okay, but when it’s icy
Then I hear,
“Get your hands out of your pockets!”

About the poem:

I had the greatest dad humanly possible. He is right beside me every step of the way. And though he died in 1997, his kindness still strengthens me.

This is a poem in my book With Open Arms available on Kindle and Amazon.

Poem: Puzzle of the Day

image

 

A new morning

I open my arms

And am curious to know

What is the puzzle of the day?

..

About the poem:

Are you waiting for life to get simple and easy? Then you’ll enjoy life?

It’s easier and more realistic to accept that every day there are unique puzzles and challenges. These complex situations help us deepen and grow.

No need to get upset about today’s challenges, any more than you would by seeing your daily sudoku or crossword puzzle! Life is puzzles and challenges, not problems.

Poem: Formerly Suspicious of Love

All that time you were suspicious of my love
You finally admitted it!

You thought from one hug
You’d get a communicable disease

By taking one bite
You’d be over your calories

By spending an hour
You’d be charged hidden fees

You thought that by sharing a secret
You’d implode
That by sitting next to me
You’d explode

You kept running away
Hiding away
Pushing away

Until finally you were just too tired

You stopped struggling
Now you’re snuggling
Into love

Now, we can talk about
Sex, love and jokes
Our jobs and our folks

Now

You can handle it
You don’t fall apart
You get stronger
(Not weaker
Like you did at the start)

So

Just like today
I smile when you say,

“Have I got a story to tell you!”
And I say, “And I’ve got one for you!”
“p.s. I love you”
“Yep, I love you too”

..

About the poem:

Have you ever wondered if a man and woman could actually be friends? The answer is yes. Yes, indeedy. Taking on brother-sister roles helps keep it clean, and oh so powerful, once everyone agrees there is no reason to run.

Poem: It’s Not Okay to Hit a Kid

2013-06-14 15.43.48 Mom Hitting Me Can Make Me Cry

2013-06-14 15.43.48 Mom Hitting Me Can Make Me Cry

 

It’s not okay to hit a kid

Why do you do it?

Just ’cause your parents did?

About the poem:

This week I’m teaching the John Denver song, “Sunshine on my Shoulders”. Before we listen to the song, the kids write what makes them happy, can make them cry, looks so lovely, and almost always makes them high.

Two girls and one boy chose “Mom hitting me” for what can make them cry.

This puts me in an awkward situation. But I tell them clearly, I think it’s not okay to hit a kid. What can we teach our kids by hitting them? Nothing good.

Poem: Luckily, I Like Beans

image

Inside my donut

Red beans are found

And in my slice of bread

Black beans abound

And for tasty pastries

Green beans are ground

White beans pureed are my noodle’s goop

Red beans pureed make a sweet cold soup

(While tasty enough,

The black bean sauce does look like poop)

When summer comes around

Red beans are the main theme

They are the Pot in PotBingSu

With shaved ice and cream

So when buying tofu at the market

And I’m asked,

“With or without” added ground black beans,

Though I’m not sure what that even means

“With!”, I say

Because

Luckily, I like beans!

2013-06-15 20.36.24 (1)

 

About the poem:

Before we went on a year-long trip to Central America, the best advice we received was from a friend who’d lived there, “Just decide that you like beans. And you’ll be fine. More than fine, you’ll be happy!”

Here in Korea, beans are in foods I’d never thought beans knew about. At first it was a shock, but now, if I bite into a donut hole and there are no red beans, I feel like I’m getting ripped off!

Deciding that I like beans in all these variations makes it fun and easy to eat here! As it did in Central America too!

–

About the author:

Joan Gregerson has visited 22 or so countries and is culturally mixed-up in almost any situation. This has given her the chance to chuckle at what ideas we all hold to strongly to, that are completely missing or considered false in another country.

Deciding that you like your life, and other tips, are the focus of my book: Tuning In to Inner Peace, on Amazon and Kindle.

–

 

 

Poem: My Love is the Yaksuteo …a Haiku

2013-05-01 11.10.57 Gaksan Drinking From Red Ladle

Why a sippy cup?

My love is the yaksuteo

Don’t be shy, drink up!

..

About the poem:

In Korea, many hiking trails have a mountain spring. In Korean, the name of the spring place is yaksuteo. (Pronounced yahk-sue-tuh, nearly rhyming with up)

In busy Asian culture, spending time with friends is often considered a luxury (to be sipped!), since work, study and family are higher priorities. But, in Ghana especially, I learned that these simple, unhurried interactions are the most valuable, and it’s my mission to love in that way.

Dude, this makes for some interesting relationships here in Korea, I must say! When it comes to the amount of time for friendship, there seems to be a clash between a scarcity and an abundance assumption.

Poem: Out of the Fog

image

Ah, there you are

When that fog rolled in

So quickly

So thickly

I thought I’d lost you

I thought I’d imagined you

But there you are

Here you are

Not as a wispy cold ghost

Or a fond memory

But as a human

A simple human

The human I remember

Talking and smiling

Sitting with me

Here we are

But, I’m wondering

Will it be clear tomorrow?

Or more fog?

Ah, who cares

Now

Here we are

…

About the poem:

I try to be strong when things are rough. But, it’s nice when things are easy and there is no need to be strong at all: when a friend is a friend, when there is no fog of confusion to wade through.

Staying in love when the fog does roll in is the tricky part, but it is a much better solution than giving up. (I say, having tried both!)

Poem: Wow, I Love Now

2012-07-30 Estes Park River (7)

Wow, wow!

I love now

Now that I know how

Now is always wow!

…

Wow, wow

How’s your now?

If it’s not wow

You can learn how

Start now!

Wow!

..

About the poem:

I’m just a sayin’, it’s not that hard to enjoy life. :-) But, you may not have learned it yet. Most people don’t enjoy now. Wow! :-(

About the author:

If you want to start now, you are cordially invited to read my blog and buy my books on Amazon and Kindle. Wow!

Poem: Like I Left the Iron On

I feel like I left the iron on, but  I went back in and it’s definitely off

I feel like my socks don’t match, but they do

I feel like I forgot my keys, but they’re right here

I feel like I missed your call, but you didn’t

…

About the poem:

If we were once close, then become distant, on waking, there will often be an uneasiness. The trick is how to scan the situation, clean up my personal vibe toward that person, and if need be, to wait patiently.

When I review the situation, I can usually come up with a good solid step. That step can be to send a message or a photo, or just to send love and stay quiet.

The next step is to accept that we can’t control another person, and figure out how to trade out the uneasiness with inner peace.

 

 

 

Poem: Before you hit me …a Haiku

2011-12-22 Our Neighborhood (4)

Can you ask yourself,

‘Hmm, will this make it better?’

…Before you hit me

..

About the poem:

It’s not okay to hit a kid or anyone. Those who hit were likely hit themselves as kids. How can we be the ones that turn the tide?

Anger has no value. The Dalai Lama said it and I agree. I found that meditation helped me gain a split-second pause in my life. This gives me time to consider the best reaction, rather than reacting in anger and regretting what follows. How can we slow down?

I like the Sahaja meditation courses available as free downloads from freemeditation.com. But there are many types of meditation, so find one you like! Pema Chodron, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Louise Hay …and many others are awaiting you. They can help you make it better.

About the author:

Joan Gregerson knows that life and love are the same. When we aren’t fully loving, we aren’t fully living. She writes books and blogs about this!

Poem: A Quiet Hope …a Haiku

Butterfly

The caterpillar

Stops eating, stops crawling, then

Spins a quiet hope

..

About the poem:

It’s not continuing the same busy way of life that brings change. It’s the stopping, the quiet, the hope that things can be different …much different, much better. This is what allows the changes we seek.

Poem: Where Will You Go?

2013-06-10 Gaksan (23)

Where will you go?

I don’t know

How will you get there?

I don’t really care

Who will you see?

That’s not up to me

What will you do?

Every day the same

…

About the poem:

I have noticed that since I shifted my focus to how I behave, my challenge is pretty much the same every day. It doesn’t matter if I’m in walking in an abaya in Riyadh, waiting out a typhoon on Jeju Island, walking with a friend in Samcheonpo or living in my mom’s basement.

I’m just trying to be kind to myself and others, while listening to the voice within. My metric is how well did I enjoy every moment and everyone in my path.

It might seem that this simple focus would make for a dull life. Not at all! Instead, it’s fascinating. Every dang day! New characters, new puzzles, new challenges!

It does make decision-making less stressful, too, as I find no reason to fear what’s ahead of me …though I have no frickin’ clue what it might be!

 

Poem: Not Waiting

2013-06-09 5-Day Market (4)

I’m not waiting to be bought
Not waiting to be sold
Not wishing I was young
Not dreading being old

I am what I am
Where I am
Simply

And that’s enough
More than enough
For me

..

About the poem:

Have you ever read Eckhart Tolle’s description of how ‘waiting’ is completely unnecessary? When I read this, I was surprised. And I agree! What is waiting but deciding that now is somehow not good enough. I never wait for anything anymore, because I’m always already here!

These little plants were lined up at the five-day market this morning in Samcheonpo, South Korea. So sweet! Already!

About the author:

Hi from Joan Gregerson! Find out how to give up waiting and enjoy whatever the heck is happening in your life in my book: Tuning In to Inner Peace: The Surprisingly Fun Way to Transform Your Life.

Poem: Because I am Beautiful

2013-06-08 Beautiful flower

Because I am beautiful

I don’t need you to tell me

Because I am beautiful

I don’t quiver with doubt in every breeze

Because I am beautiful

You feel everything I was trying to say

But couldn’t quite find the words

But now you know

Because I am beautiful

..

About the poem:

Being beautiful is a choice. Choose to be peaceful and loving, and that is true beauty. When beautiful, we aren’t the fragile person that takes offense to everything, but instead the powerful one that heals.

It’s not only okay to be beautiful, but important.