Poetry

There is poetry trapped inside of every tear
Every blessing
Every fear
Even if no one is around to hear
There is poetry...

Breathe

Sometimes I find myself so deep In thought that I forget to breathe
Clenching my teeth
All of my worries coiled at the base of my spine or knotted at my shoulder blades
Tummy tickled and taunted by anxiety
Restless
Scatter-brained
And then I remember to breathe
Deep, slow, cleansing
Unchoreographed moments of calm
Releasing me from the spirit of urgency
Balancing my energy
Disrobing and unloading
Letting go, growing free
With prayers and meditations full of "inhale, exhale, be"

Full moon

This feels like a night of never ending poems
Monologues written for the moon
Secret messages masked in the mundane
It's a shame that no one will get to read those masterpieces  written selfishly to ensure my survival and ease the pain...

©Amber Hasan 2013

Motherhood

Being a mother means sharing your body
Your food
Your money
Your sleep
Your bed
Your laughs
Your tears
Your time
Your spirit
And your love
Endlessly
Openly
Willingly
Selflessly...

Oceans vs. Puddles

She searches for sea shells by the sea shore
she searches for crack rocks by the garbage can but saying that she searches for sea shells by the sea shore sounds so much better
it metaphorically mimics how she scrapes the pavement for any remnants of her dignity,
fingertips calloused and burned from searching for heaven in hell's playground
the street between us serves as an abysmal divide causing me to forget compassion and her to forget pride
our lives leisurely collide
and it crosses my mind
"we're probably way too much alike to like each other"
me as indulgent and her as judgemental
her situation doesnt show me what she has been through, but it shows me that she got stuck,
her rut became her only stability
i pretend that her curses and murmurs are prayers
the whispers and stares dont bother her
the only cares in her world are how to numb the feelings
i want her to hold on and she wants me to let go because i will never understand her struggle
in the scope of my world her oceans may always appear puddles

©Amber Hasan 2013

Death at a funeral

When I die
tell my daughters to wash my
body
Shroud me in white linen
Tell them to pay attention to the details of death
Encourage them to live while alive
Can't come back from the final rest
No greater theft than someone stealing your time
You are defined by how you spend your moments
Existence is a miracle
Make it marvelous
Breathtaking even
Choose happy
That is the greatest truth my pappy ever told me
The evolution of my mother showed me to live boldly and wholly
Don't let pain hold me
Cander isn't always healing
God's grace is evident in every gander
Nothing grander than it's grandeur
Gifts abundant and glorious if you view them as such
Waking up
My Children's touch
The blush of sun rays at Maghrib
Signifying the end to another day
No mourning for the morning
Our light must set someday
© Amber Hasan 2013

Thoughts on the train ride home from Chicago

Beautiful moments of still

Seeing my own reflection in the world seals my connection to everything...and nothing

It could all disappear in an instant

Stop and smell the flowers

Pass the hours with those who make you smile,
compile your memories
but don't let them enslave you,
Nothing on this earth
can save you from meeting death,
So live without fear
...Without Ego
...Without regret

© Amber Hasan 2013