Soothing(ish) Poetry for the Mind

By Anirudh Bathija, India

Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history. — Plato

Poetry can be a balm for the mind when it isn’t so terribly wordy and intense. Sometimes we all need a poem that calms us down, speaks to us slowly and patiently, and tells us how to fall asleep. Here’s some comfort poetry that helps you remember just how good things can be. And when they aren’t, just how strong you can be.

True-To-You

What a wonderful you, you are.

You’re just so you, and it’ll take you far,

Just how do you do it? You must tell me, now!

Because I’d love to be me somehow

Belong

There must be a way to make me feel,

That the soil and the trees and plants are mine.

The smell of the rain and the feel of the breeze,

There must be a part that belongs to me.

Or maybe it’s twisted the other way?

I belong to it all; the rain and the snow

Hold more of me than they’ll ever know,

When I beam at the sun and I watch it rise,

Maybe the sun looks for warmth in my eyes.

Either way, it is no stranger to me.

The greatest disservice that I could do,

Is to not at least pretend,

That the world belongs to me and you,

And will belong so till the end.

Angry Owl

There was a little baby owl,

That cried all through the day,

The baby owl did bawl and growl,

Till it pushed the sun away.

A Letter To The Universe

Come, let’s pray a prayer today.

If you’ve found me, you’re not feeling okay.

I took all the bad things,

And I pushed them away,

And I told all the good things,

They’re welcome to stay.

Come, let’s do our best to feel better, By writing the universe a heartfelt letter.

I may not have answers,

But I do have resolve,

I’m willing to grow bigger,

I’m willing to evolve.

Come, let’s just do our best,

Before we get a good night’s rest.

You and I, dear Universe,

We seem to have fought,

But I’ll be the bigger person,

And pretend I forgot.

Safe

If all the stars could shine for you,

For just a night, if it was true,

If they shined in morse they’d tell you so, In that night’s starry, moonlit glow,

That you were just what they were too, And that they sometimes look up to you.

If all the flowers, trees, and vines,

Could just for once, just hold you tight. Perfumed and pasteled by your skin, Even they would feel better within.

They too would whisper in your ear, That they feel safe now that you’re here.

If all the songbirds in the clouds, Could be so lucky to have you around, They’d sing for you with all their voice, But when you’d speak they’d just be noise,

For all the birds would sing to you, That with you, they feel safer too.

If all of this could happen too,

And no one but us ever knew,

I’m sure you’d find some way, just then, To prove that I’d be safer when

Even if the rest was true,

I’d be safer, when with you.

Break

Please when you read this, take a break? You barely rest while you’re awake.

Please when you read this, could you try? Just ten deep breaths with two closed eyes.

One, two, three, ten.

Hey! That was barely like four!

Alright! Sheesh. I’ll start again.

Well, what’re you waiting for?