most of us seldom realise
that we traverse our lives
too busy in the wilderness
measuring myself
by the societal standards
of consumerism and success
rarely stopping to assess
what my real priorities are
disconnected from my values
suffering from this discord
blinded by distractions
moods and emotions
in turmoil like the tangle
of a wilderness jungle
yet if I pause to connect
with what feeds my soul
nurtures my spirit
lessens my distress
I feel calmer
more at ease
with my life
and others
kindness unfolds
and that wild tangled mess
opens into light and laughter
playfulness erupts
as in myself I gain trust
content with my life
no need to engage with strife
things settle into comfort
as priorities I pursue
ethical values save me
knowingly secure and safe
in this sacred harmonious haven
inner pollution extinguished!
aroused 
[…] Haven (a poem) […]
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reading this already made me relax and feel better.. our world has been through a lot lately and it has affected our wellbeing so we need to really take it slowly..
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We need to gift ourselves solitude from time to time and nature is the best healer! Wonderfully written, sis. ❤️
Reading your words is good for my soul. 🙂
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This is one of my favorites that you’ve posted.
I don’t know where I am. How could I know who I am?
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Yeah… it’s forming the basis of my next poem… posting soon….
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A very wise post of choices to be made! This is why we come to d’Verse… a place to find friends and affirmation! Great poem Kate!
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In a way we are always traveling in the wilderness…but we can choose where inside of it to be. I like how the agitation of the beginning of the poems slowly calms down. (K)
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What a lovely tribute to nature and how it can affect us. Beautiful!
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Yes. Nature is a solace and a balm to the world-weary. Wonderfully said.
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Oh Kate isn’t it so true, we need to slow down and partake of the beauty in the natural world. Solace for the soul. Excellent piece here, well written.
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Delightful read! Poetic verses filling up our soul.
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Too often we are concerned with the chaos that surrounds us and forget to tend to our inner gardens. Cultivating a serene and contemplative nature within will almost always give us the serenity to weather the storms that swirl… I never doubted that your garden was in order and that the calm you possess was the result of that interior haven!!
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Inner pollution and everything that is so negative evaporates when we concentrate on being who we really are. Amazing and beautifully composed poem, Kate. Too good.
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This is bang on! Well said Kate…
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First of all, love the image. Yes, the sun setting (I think), the colors, and the beach – but the two chairs carry your wonderful message while the tree provides a great accent.
Your message is powerful. Life as the wilderness is perfect, and most of us need to be scolded for not keeping our eye on the big picture. Yes – we need a haven – and yes – you described why. Brilliantly done, Kate.
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Nature..
“If you look back, there goes the sunset
If you look forward, here comes sunrise
If you look sideways, there shines the fullness of day” — Ivor Steven
“Trees and leaves
Their life, we breathe” — Ivor Steven
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Ah, yes. I too like to be free of that inner pollution.
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I like the way you incorporated ‘travelling in the wilderness’ into your poem, Kate, to remind us that we are too busy to enjoy our surroundings. It’s so important to take a break, to pause and to connect with Nature and what nurtures the spirit, to enjoy playfulness and laughter.
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Very nice, ‘no need to engage with strife’ is a line worth remembering. Disengage!
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Your poem…so wonderful, so wise, so needed in these times. Thank you, SweetKate!
We all need havens…one of mine is in nature. 🙂
Know what?!?! You and your poems are a haven to me…just to be able to come here and sit here and read, feel, breathe, learn, smile, feel cared about…one of my havens. And when I leave I always feel happy AND I think of so many of your words the rest of the day. 🙂
(((HUGS)))
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Lovely poetry and the message that “we traverse our lives too busy in the wilderness rarely stopping to assess what our priorities are” really resonated with me!
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The semester exams are over but I’m preparing (or at least trying to perpare, haha) for the competitive exam GATE (General Aptitude Test of Engineering) in feb 2021 and that’s a big one!
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I see how we arrived at the same place via a different route! ‘Inner pollution extinguished’ – that’s a great way to put it. I love your journey from striving for material things to realising the value of inner peace. I think a lot of unhappiness and dissatisfaction in the world comes from failing to make this journey.
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Perfect so perfect. Beautifully written and so wonderful. Describes the inner turmoil and final release perfectly. Loved it.
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When we actively pursue the goal of high moral standards, we gain peace, happiness and contentment. Beautiful poem Kate
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Nature is a haven, indeed! Brilliant writing, Kate.
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Keeping ourselves healthy is the start of everything else.
Stay safe!
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Fine work indeed, Kate; I esp admire the extinguishing of inner pollution final lines.
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This is deeply moving and philosophical! 💝💝
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Beautiful description of how the journey goes, and I love how powerfully you conclude – inner pollution extinguished!
It is so exhausting to live by social standards. To claim our own path, guided by spirit truly brings the richness of life alive.
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Kate, your lovely poem is a roadmap to inner peace. Though each of us must find our own way, your poem is a helpful model and starting point. This is so needed now. Thank you for this post. ❤
All the best!
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If only we all took the time to pause and connect with what feeds our spirit and nurtures our soul! I loved the wisdom of your poem.
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This is wonderful. I think the gift of seclusion is a chance to turn off the noise of societal pressures and connect to the inner self. I like the idea of de-polluting.
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Exactly like that.
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“yet if I pause to connect with what feeds my soul nurtures my spirit”
I like this stance, Kate .
Yes we need to have a pause to resource us”
Love ❤
Michel
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I can so relate to this.
Nature, or my own time watching dvd’s, or reading, if I can get my brain into it.
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Yes, we all certainly do. I have had some stressful times not related to Covid-19 and so had to reset my button sometimes, just by stopping and doing nothing.
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Nature is the only place where we can find true peace
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