poetry – Page 15 – The Narrow Path

Fighting for Peace.

Fighting for peace.

Shaming for love.

Anger spilling into the streets.

Not an ounce of compassion.

How will they ever know peace if all we show them is violence?

We must show them another way.

The way of peace.

Our life is our message.

The message of peace.

The message of love.

The message of compassion.

Go to the streets.

Go to them in peace.

With love.

With compassion.

Anger can’t stomp out anger.

Only love can.

Violence won’t stop violence.

Only peace can.

Apathy won’t end apathy.

Only compassion can.

Lost at Sea.

A ship is lost in the treacherous open sea. The crew grows more impatient each day; the Captain is worried about a potential mutiny. No land in sight.

Will this be the end?

My crew goes weary.

Mumbling & arguing with each other.

Constantly chattering.

The smell of mutiny in the air.

I observe them from my private charters.

One moment they are angry.

The next they are sad.

Anxious.

Depressed.

Fearful.

Will we ever see land again?

A large wave swells up from the depths of the ocean.

Panic.

HOLD ON!!!!!

The ship creaks and moans.

We survive.

A month goes by.

Food short on supply.

Crew sick and diseased.

Birds of prey circle above us.

The end is near.

Until one day I see darkness on the horizon.

LAND!!

We are safe.

Joy & tears flow into the sea.

My crew dances under the moonlight.

No wave can sink me.

No storm will worry me.

I won’t break to my crew’s demands.

For I am the Captain.

I am not my thoughts. I am not my emotions. I am the observer. The Captain of my body & mind. I will honor these thoughts & emotions as impermanent. I will not sink into the darkness.

Gratitude.

I breathe in.

I smile.

How wonderful it is to be alive!

Joy pulsates through my body.

A smile lights across my face.

My heart beats with compassion.

My lungs full of gratitude.

Grateful for pain.

Heartbreak.

My breath.

And Joy.

Grateful to be alive.

I will smile.

I will laugh.

I will dance.

For life is impermanent.

Thank you life.

Thank you impermanence.

Thank you.

Innocent Living Beings.

By just being alive I will cause suffering in the world.

But I strive to negate as much as I can.

I vow to look at all living beings with compassion.

I vow to look at the suffering I cause in the world.

I vow to take action to alleviate suffering in all living beings.

Rape, torture, and death.

I see a tear go down a mother cows cheek.

I hear the last squeal of a suffering pig.

How we call ourselves peaceful while supporting such violence?

Blinded by industry lies.

Cold with apathy.

Myths.

Outdated traditions.

Wake up to compassion.

Wake up to peace.

Wake up to 2018.

A time of abundance.

A time where we don’t need animal products to survive.

There is another way.

A way of peace.

A way of compassion.

A way of love.

Will you join me?

The Broken Dam.

Pain.

Anger.

Confusion.

Suffering.

The pain of loneliness.

Isolation.

Fear.

Building up like water flowing into a mighty dam.

Cracks form.

The wall deteriorates.

Until one day the walls scream in pain.

The dam is broken.

Suffering overflows into the world.

The river mourns.

The birds cry.

Innocent beings swept away by the waves of suffering.

I have no answers.

Only questions.

How can we prevent suffering from spilling over?

How can we live in peace?

How can we heal our nation?

Anchor.

A wave hits.

The wind howls.

A shark lurks in the darkness.

The storm surrounds me.

Will I sink into the darkness?

I throw my anchor into the depths of the sea.

No wave can break me.

No wind can push me.

No shark can hurt me.

No storm will out last my anchor.

Whenever times are tough, I can bring my focus back to my anchor.

My anchor of mindful breathing.

This anchor will be with me until my last moment.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Welcome To Heartbreak.

I cried.

I begged.

I promised I would change.

I poured my heart out.

I suffered alone.

How could you not want me back?

Why can’t you forgive me?

How could you be so cold?

How could you be so heartless?

Welcome to heartbreak.

The heartbreak of rejection.

The sadness of regret.

The pain of looking in the mirror.

Self-hatred.

Anxious days.

Depressed nights.

Through the pain, I learned how to be the lotus flower.

For the lotus flower grows in muddy waters.

Through suffering comes joy.

Through suffering comes peace.

Through suffering comes transformation.

No mud, no lotus.

My heart is now filled with gratitude.

Thank you for letting me suffer and grow.

Thank you for letting me go three years ago.

Thank you, Alicia.

Hope all is well.

With Aloha,

Johnny Hoffman

Backstory: 3 years ago in Feb 2015 my life changed forever. I finally told my fiance that I cheated on her. She left me that day. I felt heartbroken, fearful, and anxious. I had to sit with myself. Sit with the anxiety, pain, and loneliness. Sit with the self-hatred. Through that suffering I found a new way of life. A one of meditation, mindfulness, and joy.

(Main photo: Kanye West, 808’s & Heartbreaks)