I am so pleased to announce that my poem, The Brilliance of Life, is now available at MasticadoresUSA. Another big thank you to, Gabriela Marie Milton, and the team at MasticadoresUSA for their support, and for publishing this piece.
The Brilliance of Life
My heart breaks
with every
breath I take,
and though
I’ll keep moving,
there are times when
I just sit still,
and let the emotions
wash over me…
I would be honored if you would go here and read the rest of my poem. Thank you!
my feet
feel the grass
beneath me,
and inside, I
smile secretly,
and think
about the next scene
together,
joined forever, like
two lovers,
first met, when
they were young
enough to remember,
the next phase instead
of a memory
of something else,
harkening back
not so gently,
to the first time
you came into view,
and I fled
from
your embrace,
altogether longing,
yet, I just kept running,
thinking too much,
feeling not enough, and
making way on my own
shrill and stuffed
from the voluminous
calamities
that filled my mind,
and are impossible,
at times,
to deny,
and,
never
ever
to rewind,
nor find
lost, and
bleak
as it may seem
on my inner-screen,
I get up again,
let the tears come
as they may, pray,
and ask for
forgiveness each day
life is lived
inside of
you and me,
and when
we need to scream,
it’s all okay, as
the feelings come
whether
we want
them to or not,
and, in fact,
resisting,
only makes them
persist
until we’re grown
working
through them
though?
is another
story
all its own,
filled with hope
and, the glory shown
the sky bleeds
each day,
renewing
itself in its journey,
which, yes,
is sometimes
frayed around
the edges, and is also
pure warmth
in its acceptance
of
a knowing
we hold
deep inside,
which,
reminds us to
look
to the sky, in
times of worry,
knowing we shall
see all of ourselves
in the glory we behold
on an early morning
sun rising,
golden delight,
washing the daytime
woes away,
with a single brushstroke
of warmth,
and rays,
filling the volumes
of our souls
with an everlasting
energy, and healing presence,
especially when
we are
feeling sad, and
so diminished
so,
when we
are quaking, and
in need of safety,
remember,
to look up, and
allow the light
to enter
your heart,
and
wash away
all the fears that
we continue to
hold dear
fine grains of sand
nestled together,
like peas in a bed,
or you and me
in our stead
contemplation
magical
is the way life
comes and goes,
and ready’s us
for the next stage
in our show
hard loving, and
living, take their
toll, as we begin
to notice
as time slows
us down
and we ready
ourselves,
for another part
of the larger parcel,
weaved together before
our eyes ever sparkled
stitches woven
with great care,
we cherish each one
in their place,
as we touch the
velvetiness
of their grace, which
lives in
our inner
heart-space
and spells, and
feels like,
anything, and
everything, but
commonplace
I love to stare off
into the distance, and
witness the birth,
and newness of each
moment,
arising, sometimes
disguising,
and always, always,
mesmerizing
me, while
also
moving me
from deep within,
to another place
and time, and
rejoining me
with
all my kin
beyond hope,
and fear, a land
full of dreams, which
comes and goes, as quick
as my heart beats thin
slowly dancing
to each moments
memory, and
the scope
of our collective hope
transfigured,
I realize these moments
last an eternity,
as the leaves
cascade down
from their mast
and, I
cast
my eyes beyond
the horizon, breathe
in deep,
and thank everyone,
and everything
around me
for the solitude,
and joyousness
I feel at last
I would be honored if you would visit Spillwords and read, and or, reread my poem, The Moments Prose, thank you.
Have you ever lost a love
so close,
it’s left you spinning,
and in need
of a heart to slow?
It’s as if you tucked
this love away….
You can read the rest of The Moments Prose, here. Thank you again, my friends.
heart
beating fast,
faster,
and then faster,
slowing down
not an option,
nor is the feeling
in my gut, protracted,
and put back
together again,
without much in the way
of a knowing,
as our beautiful sun
keeps glowing
without protection,
breeze blows me
one way,
and then another,
reeling…
and,
then,
I’m feeling,
light and heavy
all at the same
time,
is this a paradox
in healing, or
is there
something else here,
and I’m just not sensitive
enough
to know it’s presence
within my heart’s beating?
breathing,
a memory,
a hint of something
in store,
stirs me from the floor,
and all at once,
I feel for
everyone,
and everything
we’ve called our home
since time’s
memory came
into
my very core
notice not coming,
and,
deep down,
the shift
in awareness
creates contemplation
once more
a sigh,
a smile, and,
the revelation
creates continuity
in being,
breathing
the awareness in,
I take all of life within,
and seal this day
with a silent prayer,
and a heart
filled to the brim
as the leaf falls
from the tree,
and tumbles
end over end
towards the earth,
I’m reminded,
of love, and
loss, and
all the things
in life we hold close
to heart and wish to
never depart.
yet,
we know all things
are fleeting,
even this feeling
I have, as I’m writing
this poem,
sitting, and
whimsically
staring at the screen,
as one word
appears, and then
another,
and then they disappear
from heart, and
mind, one
after the other,
and then?
another
feeling and
knowing comes,
and heart and mind
become one.
the rain falls,
drops
known to all,
reminiscent of tears
present
when I was very young
told not to let them
show,
we pretend when
we’re grown,
that all of life
is hidden from view
and within
our complete control
a myriad
of illusory contexts
derived from
well-
intentioned people,
learning themselves,
what it’s like
to be
a pupil
life happens,
and,
as it does,
we grab onto
anything that’s solid
and stable
while also knowing
these
concepts
are mere principles of
nature’s
way
of showing us
what we’re
becoming
delivering pain
when we
least expect it,
and asking us
to step into
the self
we know is there,
and we relate to
If you’ve not yet checked out Astha’s Anthology, Utmost Feelings, well, you can now order it online. Here’s where you can find it:
Paperback-
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Additionally, the coauthors of Astha’s Anthology, Utmost Feelings, are creating a space for people to send their sentiments to Astha’s family.
If you are interested, please add your sentiments to this form, thank you, and stay blessed.
the darkness
envelops me, I
cannot see, sweat
routs my brow,
my heart skips a beat,
and my legs
begin to twitch,
feverishly
fear encases me
wrapped up,
frozen solid, unable
to move, a tear slides
down my face,
and I
realize,
feeling is something
that’s left me
for the time being
numb,
confused,
withdrawn, and
disengaged
from life, love,
and even
the loss
presenting itself
to me
on a daily basis
waiting, and
wanting to know
why this happens,
not being able
to hold on
any longer
as a momentary
pause ensues,
a gift
is given
understanding
dawns,
mind takes
hold,
heart,
explodes, as
light pours forth
and,
the darkness
once fraught
with fear
and anguish
begins to dance
to a language
all its own
If you’ve not yet checked out Astha’s Anthology, Utmost Feelings, well, you can now order it online. Here’s where you can find it:
Paperback-
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/9390817455
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/9390817455
Amazon DE: https://www.amazon.de/dp/9390817455
Amazon FR: https://www.amazon.fr/dp/9390817455
Amazon ES: https://www.amazon.es/dp/9390817455
Amazon IT: https://www.amazon.it/dp/9390817455
Amazon JP: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/9390817455
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/9390817455
Ebook
Payhip- https://payhip.com/b/DjE8x
Kobo Books- https://www.kobo.com/in/en/ebook/utmost-feelings
B&N Press- https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/utmost-feelings-astha-srivastava/1139758293?ean=2940162372431
watching life
move by, disengaged
as it rattles around
in my brain
without significance
or a way to rebound
detached
from reality,
like a kite that loses
it’s tether,
and flies off into
space with nary a
tarry nor a sound,
not heard, and never found
reflective processes
go unnoticed,
buried deep in
the heart, without
a tool to unearth
the myriad of possibilities
that live for a rebirth
then,
a shift
in consciousness
comes calling,
releasing the pain
a little at a time
and,
new tools
are brought forth,
provided by people
just like
you and me,
who’ve already
dug deep
removing the layers
of debris,
shining heart
we can now see
If you’ve not yet checked out Astha’s Anthology, Utmost Feelings, well, you can now order it online. Here’s where you can find it:
Paperback-
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/9390817455
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/9390817455
Amazon DE: https://www.amazon.de/dp/9390817455
Amazon FR: https://www.amazon.fr/dp/9390817455
Amazon ES: https://www.amazon.es/dp/9390817455
Amazon IT: https://www.amazon.it/dp/9390817455
Amazon JP: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/9390817455
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/9390817455
Ebook
Payhip- https://payhip.com/b/DjE8x
Kobo Books- https://www.kobo.com/in/en/ebook/utmost-feelings
B&N Press- https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/utmost-feelings-astha-srivastava/1139758293?ean=2940162372431
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