Boogeyman

This poem, a series of dekaaz (dekaazes?), brings in experience from my recent solo retreat, along with experience in this world of violence and "other".

Boogeyman

I

Two weeks,
so alone,
list'ning to my heart,

peace, joy,
mosquitoes
my only neighbors.

But still,
nightly fear -
a scraggly old man,

lost teeth,
crooked thoughts,
on dark nights watches

through lit
windows and
freezes me in fright.

I sit
in darkness
dreading to be seen.

Go look
for that man,
my teacher nudges.

Bug bites
too itchy -
I can't fathom more.

A gift -
mosquito net -
erases excuse.

The moon
shines bright, full
I dance beneath it.

I see
no scraggles,
no crooked thoughts. Yet

still I
turn off lights,
stuck in scared beliefs.



II

Each day
we humans
listen to the news,

the world,
universe,
our only neighbors.

Eating
nightly fear -
guns, bombs, terrorists.

Confused,
crooked thoughts.
Why do they hate us?

We keep
our blinds drawn,
our eyes straight ahead.

Don't care
for others
who don't look like us.

Go look
in their eyes,
the wise ones nudge us.

We feel
so much fear.
We can't fathom more.

A gift -
The One Heart -
erases excuse.

The moon
shines bright, full
on all beneath it -

even
the scraggles,
bad, crooked thoughts.  Yet

still, we
dim our lights,
stuck in scared beliefs.


III

So much
compassion
is asked for, always.








Carol Barrow, 2015