There is a bully in this joyless playground,

A tyrant who throws deep belly punches of guilt and shame,

Who slings buckets of mud, sullying me with cruel words,

For not being a better mother, daughter, teacher, friend, lover.

This false friend, who took me under his wing,

Led me on a merry dance of half-truths and false promises,

Dazzled me with dream jobs, exotic travel, fun relationships,

Now shows his rage. And I cower, eyes tight shut, into a ball.

Until, a soft, tender whisper of Love warms my aching heart. 

For I say no to this unending Ferris wheel of outer experience,

The sorrow, pain and despair of these enticing dead-end trails,

The wrath of mind’s tantrum in the face of Truth.

I step aside from the terrorising shadow of my oppressor,

For I am not the hateful coward he would have me be.

I gaze up into the Radiant eyes of my lover within,

Whose warm illuminating rays give me a glimpse of my divinity.

In the scintillating clarity of this graced moment,

All fear, doubt, regret, confusion melt away.

I stand tall, a beacon of Love and truth shining from within,

And with the heart of a lion turn to face my foe.

My tormentor rears his head and puffs his chest,

Then shrinks before me, a mere trompe l’oeil,

His waggy tail, fluffy paws, and doleful eyes,

Beseeching me for love and discipline like an unruly child.

The concrete playground becomes a summer meadow,

Alight and alive with buttercups, poppies, bees and butterflies.

I cartwheel, somersault and tumble with joy, in this Eden within,

The tyrant, a mere puppy dog, nipping playfully at my heels.

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