This post is a little bit different from the other articles on this blog. In this article, the author shares a poem he recently wrote. Even though the poem expresses the author's own experience, some readers may be able to relate to the story too.

See, we are looking for this 'something' to fulfill us. Intuitively, we know that we do not feel 'whole', but we do not know what to do about this.

So, we look for lasting happiness and fulfillment through relationships, substances, objects... yet, we realize that we remain disappointed and unfulfilled.

At some point, we may turn to the more subtle objects, such as religions, philosophies, rituals... they do help us, but we still feel a hole inside of us. We are not truly satisfied. 

Eventually, we just completely give up. We drop all the perceptions, expectations, hopes. When we realize that we have nothing more to cling to, we are finally ready to surrender to Divine Grace. 

This poem shares such a story. It is a devotional poem, with a twist of non-duality.

In this poem, no specific poetic guidelines or formats are followed. It is simply a free-verse expression of joy and freedom!

Please enjoy.

longing for my Dear Beloved

lost in the world without knowing it,
existing without a cause
caged in by attachment and desire,
lured from one dark corner to the next

my two friends, pain and sorrow,
they keep beating me up

the suffering becomes unbearable,
exhausted and desperate I long for freedom
without a guide, I seek here and there,
I am longing for my Dear Beloved

churches, temples, filled with shrines,
while I remain empty inside

philosophy, religion, exotic countries,
the smell of incense and spice,
a rush of rickshaws, people and animals,
where are you hiding, my Dear Beloved?

caught in the labyrinth of illusion and ignorance,
I've looked everywhere, but still cannot find

nothing remains to think or say, nowhere else to look,
I feel forgotten
one last prayer, one final round of beads,
I am ready to give up

with no other choice, nothing left to do,
I surrender to silence

suddenly
the seeker, the seeking,
path and destination, suffering and liberation
sucked into a whirlpool, dissolve into space

Sacred Silence
Emptiness

within Me the dream appears,
name and form, time and space
churches, temples, filled with shrines,
a rush of rickshaws, people and animals

the world appears as before,
but now

the rope is no longer mistaken for a snake
Alas! it was never a snake,
I laugh! I cry!
I am One without a second

my Dear Beloved
it was You all along

the Truth lifts the veil of ignorance
You are this and You are that
You have always been
the world is not two

my Dear Beloved
now, I cannot unsee You

"You are this and You are that
You have always been
the world is not two"

Related articles on this blog:

Endless Seeking - 08 December, 2020
True Freedom - 08 February, 2021
The Beauty of Experience - 15 April, 2021