His Brother Joy
Once I remember trying very hard to be strong. A friend told me it was alright to cry. I think these were his exact words: if you need to cry, just cry. I did and he stayed. Presence = kindness.
Photo by Jenna Norman on Unsplash
In the dim light, I hold my fear like a baby and soothe his restless cries He wants to wriggle and fuss and I tell him Shhhh... all is well. He frets even more; I hold him closer If you need to cry, just cry, I tell him I'll be right here After a while - it feels like a long while - he begins to settle And I notice he is drifting off to sleep My baby trusts me Then, with a half-smile, his brother joy gently wakes -Abigail Somma
A little more backstory on this poem: a few years ago, there was a very aggressive guy in the apartment below me, and I used to wonder if I should call the cops on him because of the way he treated his girlfriend. Then I found out she was pregnant. As I contemplated this situation, I used to meditate on this guy and pray for his enlightenment and also that of his girlfriend and unborn daughter. But I also knew I may have to call the cops. One day, I had a lot of fear around all of this, sat down in meditation and this poem appeared in its entirety. Ultimately, I conferred with another neighbor, who did call the cops, and they moved out. Wherever they are, I wish them peace, safety and love.
I also made a video version of this poem, which to me is about having the courage to stay with the feeling, no matter how uncomfortable it may be.