A HAIKU & A POEM, BOTH BANISHING SELF-PITY

For Being Born

Gratitude for the birth of a difficult friendship

Thank you for being Storms of sun, rain, seas, freedom My heart — opened song

©Jenine Bsharah Baines 2022

Today is my ex-partner’s birthday. And I’ll be honest. I’m struggling, juggling year after year after year of celebratory memories — where I played the leading role, not the woman he left me for. But…

I’ve studied enough Jung to realize becoming one with the shadow side of my victim archetype will get me nowhere. Better to smile with my enlightening Victim and realize, here I go again. Stop it, girlfriend!

Life happens. And sometimes, as the hoary cliche informs us, shit litters our soul’s landscape.

I am choosing to rescue the pearls from the poop/ wipe, wash, polish them/ string them into a necklace clasped to the pulse of my heart. Wisdom nestled from its clammed shell, released

to soar with all birds in V-formation

via my Pearl Fisher’s song

Thank you, G. Thank you, dear readers, for virtual shoulders of compassion.

Thank you, Trista Signe Ainsworth, for a publication whose very name is prompt.

jeni

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