Copious: Shingles, Difficulty and Doubt

Strangely,
It’s not the pain
That’s most irksome
But the low moods
That keep persisting;

Pain I know
All too well,
Though perhaps
They are related,
I don’t know;

Anyway,
The predominant colour
Is not pink calamine,
But blue,

Fatigue is also
A prominent feature
Of this discomfort stew,
Which contributes to the other two;

But what’s this got to do
With meditation?
Nothing maybe,
As I’m full of doubt too;

I am questioning
How this is worthwhile,
Whether it really helps
In the absence of other resources;

Alternatively,
It’s mostly common sense,
Which reduces the quality
Of the ambiance;
How silly to hang on that,
But so many do,
And so, I guess I’m no different.

Coping: Not in the Pink

Still spreading
The calamine pink,
Quite tedious
I think,

And amazing that
Such a simple task
Taxes my mindfulness
To the limit;

How to stay with
An uninteresting situation,
A reminder of the slowness
With which healing takes place;

Meanwhile,
Other obstacles
And irritations
Continue to arise

At the same time
As I’m recovering
From this current
Time consuming annoyance;

It all adds up to
Difficulty staying here,
Preferring elsewhere
Or just not knowing at all,

And how to negotiate that
Remains a task I dislike
That I don’t feel
I do well;

But then, who does
All the time?
No one,
Or so I think.

Conviction: Breath Day

Retreating into
Smiling indifference,
Then returning to
In, out, in, out,
Centering on the breath,
Throughout the day;

Making way,
Creating space,
Spaciousness instead of
Closed-mindedness
And judging;

Loosening the bonds
Between breathing
And all other
Aspects of life,

Which fade
Into the background,
Seeming less real, less relevant,
Comparatively unimportant,

Resting in this place,
Looking around,
Enjoying the inner view,
Peaceful feelings arise anew,

Fresh as meadow-rain-scented air,
Cool and gentle as a spring day,
No disturbances near,
Other than the mild breath-breezes here;

The breath whispers through,
Massaging the body
And soothing the mind,
Steadying, anchoring,
Settling the other
More turbulent winds,
Smoothing out extremes.