Poetry Challenge Day 5: The keys to discovering the answers you seek

Conversation with Me, Myself and I

I have four keys I proudly carry to help me through locked doors:

AIR: Breathing slowly inhale and exhale, feeling the wind rushing through my curls calms my soul, frees my mind to wander into happier spaces.

FIRE: The zen of carrying logs, sparking the flame, feeling the heat three times a day. I connect to long lines of blood that built my body and the flame that will one day take it away.

WATER: Submersion in hot bubbling water, floating weightless, suspended or a simple shower often unveils the answers to my ponderin’.

EARTH: Digging holes, lots of holes, planting seeds, seeing the first green whisper unleashes a joy in me that feeds the world of possibilities.

These four keys, these one size fits all set of keys, have guided me through innumerable puzzles needing solved, problems needing fixed, issues needing resolved.

But there are some questions that no combination of keys I use, open the doors to reveal the answers I seek— me, myself and I, try yet again and again…insanity well maybe.

locked doors:

“Ask and you shall receive” does not work for my love life.

Why, when it works nearly everywhere else? I use my four keys, Earth, Water, Wind and Fire. None open the locked door for this query.

I’m asking the wrong question — yeah, well… that maybe so. But I don’t hear the right one…I go to the oracle of Tarot…”Wait, you will have what you seek” I’m 64, me thinks you’re a liar

Miss treated at work- again- Oh God why? What is the lesson?

Common wisdom would say it’s me — but I am not common

I was placed-then knee capped — I was chosen — then dismissed- then dissolved literally dissolved the position, while calling it foundational to the core

I shakes me head, while myself slips into a warrior’s armor to fight for a lost cause

In another time and space, It was suggested, “If we ever took the reigns off you… how you would soar.” Me thinks, “So, take the damn reigns off already.” I agrees. Myself was fired.

A sage said to me, “Don’t swoop” “…what I swoop-like an eagle?” I asks.

“Yes, you come in, larger than life, swoop through, assessing, fixing, mending at a speed that is remarkable. But others only see talons.”

I have four keys, Earth, Water, Wind and Fire. I’ve used them all. They will not open the door that unlocks the answer

“Oh God why? Again?”

I am sensing the pattern — I ask questions that cannot be answered even when calling on the elements of life — yeah-well …

I could rephrase, but really that wouldn’t change the question now would it? Yet rephrase I will.

What do you want me to do next God, universe? Should I find new ways to scrape together a living?

With all my keys, I sit by one of the last fires of winter drying from a dip in the healing heated waters where the cool breezes of spring brushed my curls. I sort through a seed catalog planning all the holes I will dig in the weeks to come-

I hear an answer, at last- Me thinks and myself agrees, I need a new set of keys.

CFCHRYST 2021

New Berlin NY

second dose vaccine day!

Reflections on this poetry challenge: I had a new experience writing this piece — I was mindful in the moment at the same time that I was outside of it watching the process as the piece grew, shifted, evolved. It was very interesting and is spawning an article on poetry process that will be coming soon. I am looking forward to how this 30 day challenge will change me and my writing — as I’ve seen changes already in just five sessions.

Coming Next: Day 6: What dwells within the unconscious mind?