"Play nice," they said,
a redundancy to the Old Soul
that inhabited the girl child body.
An unnecessary admonition
to a heart that sopped up pain
like a kitchen sponge.
"Be sweet," they said,
as her eyes saw the deep sorrow
which lived beneath the rib cages
of this species.
"Be gentle," they said,
even as her touch
calmed and healed,
her words sighing a melody
of redemption and hope.
"Set boundaries," no one ever said.
So when the times came
when she was filled too full
to process,
she became Solitary
to weep away the Poison,
and worry over the conflict
between her Spirit
and the frail shell that housed it.
Wondering why if the Gift was given,
did it take this toll?
Wishing she had been placed
where the people leaked Joy.
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| "Our Lady of the Broken Heart" Sophia Rosenberg https://www.etsy.com/listing/193486170/our-lady-of-the-broken-heart-sophia?ref=shop_home_active_13 |
Lovely write, Sharon. It's beautiful. Here's cynicism expressed sweetly; not an easy feat. :-) My favorite line "wishing she had been placed where the people leaked joy." Leaking joy...how cool is that? Love it. Don't put away your pens and paper again. Keep writing. :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the support you continue to give me, Elena! The words are coming now whether I will them or not, which is how it used to be. I don't think my Muse is going to let me forget her again, and that makes me glad! Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteAlways. :-)
Delete<3
DeleteLeaking joy...brilliant. Love you Mom!
DeleteThank you, Nikki! I know you know how this feels! Love you back!
DeleteSo many time people are so busy trying to make someone better, to polish them, to bring them into the light... that their eyes fail to see that there is more beauty and power in the "girl child" than they can even imagine. And many times, to many... they heart what was pure and perfect.
ReplyDeleteI hope her soul heals and stays that way. I hope she grows up enough to make her own decisions, and find a home were joy keep the walls standing and the plants growing.
Wonderful progression, Sharon! And a testament to what often happens to those with enough empathy to feel everything...
Thank you, Magaly! This is very autobiographical for me. This is living as an empath and an energy healer. The drive to siphon pain from souls is so strong, but some souls must deal with the pain on their own, and it is imperative that empaths set boundaries. Something we do not often know how to do, or we are told is selfish.
DeleteThe heartache bleeds through in every line. Sometimes solitude is the most healing gift one can give themselves.
ReplyDeleteSolitude can be such a gift given to ourselves. Thank you, Rommy, for seeing.
DeleteSo eloquent of the empath's experience, Sharon.(and I wrote that before reading your comments above) but it is hard to have the kind of skin so thin that the pain of others can seep through, like an amoeba's wall--there is a separation, but it is permeable. It would be so much better --for all of us--if we could leak joy instead.
ReplyDeleteIt truly would be. Thank you for coming by.
DeleteLovely, Lovely, Lovely. Softly written with so much weight behind it all.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ben! I so appreciate your comments and encouragement!
DeleteSo full of the pain that empathy can bring--yet also of its healing--how wonderful it would be if more people leaked joy. I love this one, Sharon.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Hedgewitch! The world would be such a. Better place if we all leaked joy. I am so happy you understood.
DeleteRereading this piece after getting to know you better is... beyond illuminating. Before, I understood the words. After been friends for some years, I can see the meaning of it... all over your life (and body).
ReplyDeleteWe must set boundaries that protect us and free us at the same time. The key should be only ours... and we should only give access to the door (for knocking just in case) to hearts we trust.
I'm recommending this one to a particular soul I love.
Thank you, again! I think many of us carry scars that many may see, but none may guess at the nature of the wound inflicted. Sometimes it seems so unfair to bleed invisibly.
ReplyDeleteSuch sweet sadness. I think a few of us can relate to the hiding of our sorrows. Beautifully written, oozing empathy XXX
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gina! It’s been a tough year in many ways for all of us, I’d say. What with going down in the world can be tough to get away from! Hugs!!!
DeleteI'm not an empath, but I can imagine the toll feeling so deeply must take. It's still a really lovely piece, and yes, boundaries are needed, especially to protect the sensitive hearts that are so strongly needed.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I have to remind myself that all these feelings are not always mine. Thank you so much for stopping by one more time and leaving kind words.
DeletePowerful and beautiful..my soul deeply understands this..an empath's journey can be a lonely one learning how to embody this gift without it destroying you in the process..hope the beautiful girl child found her way through this and able to embody it's spiritual power...and find where joy leaks( love that!). and wow, the gorgeous painting along side this poem is breathtaking..visually powerful! Such a deeply soulful post in words and image...loved it!
ReplyDelete