Poems
Tom Soma
For more than 20 years, I’ve been writing an annual birthday piece for each of my three daughters. It generally takes the form of a poem; occasionally (as in my last blog) an essay. I thought the practice would end when the girls became adults. But they wouldn’t let me off the hook—especially Mica, who didn’t start receiving the gifts until she turned 14—11 months after I became her legal guardian.
These days, I’m up to nine birthdays—the girls, their partners, and my three grandchildren—all of whom now receive a “home-made” present each year. I’m not sure how I’ll keep it up when I return to a real job!
I’ll confess, I’ve “cheated” a bit this year—tying the birthday pieces into my journey, while simultaneously addressing something unique and specific to each recipient.
It’s been said that the most personal is often the most universal. That, I believe, is the case this year with both Mica and her partner, Sal—whose birthdays fall on November 18 and 17, respectively. The poems I wrote for them are deeply personal; yet they also explore themes common to the more universal quest for a meaningful life. I share them below, in the hope that some small thread touches a chord with you as well.
Alignment
(For Mica)
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs.
Ask yourself what makes you come alive. And go do that.
Because the world needs people who’ve come alive.”
- Howard Thurman
All soulful paths and practices
lead, ultimately, to the same place.
Chose one,
they say,
and dig deeply.
You’ve made your choice.
You’ve been a good student.
You’ve learned,
that a vocation is not so much discovered
as revealed,
found not through active pursuit,
but by accepting
and embracing
that which brings you life.
Your call finds you—
when you are ready.
Now
you give the world
a path
and a practice
that bring you life.
Draw from the well
of your deep inner knowing—
and continue to give
with great enthusiasm
and great heart.
God knows
the world needs it.
Savor,
each day,
both your delight
and satisfaction.
God knows
you deserve it!
Essence
(For Sal)
Deep within,
there is an innate wisdom—
an energy
rooted in the rhythm of the cosmos,
available to all who seek it—
but not through the mind.
When we open ourselves
to the creative flow
of the universe,
our hands,
our hearts,
and our voices
can all be forces of love.
In that space,
informed by intuition rather than intellect,
we become a bridge
between heaven and earth.
You are endowed
as a healer.
Casting fear aside,
and loosing any perceived limitations,
embrace your destiny—
and as you do,
know that you are loved
beyond your wildest imagination
by the One Source,
the One Light
that envelops all.
(Charleston, SC)