A Different Kind of Attention (a Poem)

Every Thursday I share a poem with you that I love, or one I’ve written. This is one I wrote for a friend recently who mentioned he felt like a failure. It’s called A Different Kind of Attention. I hope you enjoy.

A Different Kind of Attention

When you wake up one morning and

everything you have ever loved

has left you.

When there are sirens shrieking

outside and no one lying

next to you

to say goodnight.

When all you can do is spin and swirl

another glass of whiskey,

or wine. When the

light on your phone

is yet another message

from home—

what have you

done wrong

this time?

Then.

Pay a different kind of attention.

Still your heart.

Calm your mind.

Take one deep breath in

and then out, and then in

again.

Do that

five hundred

times.

Until all you hear

is…

Come alive, my love

to what is infinite

within you, to

what you saw that night

when you held my hand

and looked into my eyes.

That light

shining back to you

from your dark past, from

your bright future.

Do you remember?

It is not that

you can achieve world peace or

make everyone happy

or even

bring your love back

home.

You can’t. We can

both stop

trying

so hard

but somewhere, there

is a bright light

to bend this dim path.

Somewhere.

Not far. Not out there

in the distance, but

close. So close.

I saw it in you.

I held your chin.

I wiped your eyes.

I told you

to look up.

Unearth that treasure,

my love. Unbind it.

Unfurl it.

What a precious,

hidden and beautiful

gift

you have been hiding all this time.

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