Saturday, December 11, 2010

White Tara

           
           WHITE TARA

            I went to meet that savage creature
            I have run from, lifetime after lifetime
            the shape within the shadows
            a creature of smoke and bared fangs.

            I went to meet it at last

            It took me into its vast arms,
            and I kissed its terrible face.

            And I thought I would die.
            I thought I would be swallowed,
            but I was not swallowed.

            For that creature I thought
            would devour me
            returned my embrace.

            I looked into eyes
            soft and liquid, filled with tears
            the eyes of a lonely child,
            my own lost child,
            my brother, my sister,
            my lover, my mother.

            And with great tenderness
            Fear lay upon my breast, and slept.

            What bound me for so long
            flowed out of me,
            my heart expanded,
            and I found I could hold

            the world entire
            in my open arms.

            I will make my arms a circle
            I will make my heart a circle

            I will walk all my sorrows,
            all my fears Home.

            I will walk
            circles around them
            until at last I find
            that bright and spacious center

            Come with me. Take my hand.
            We will do it together

            We will walk Home.

                         (1997)

4 comments:

Gail said...

This poem is so timely and in touch with what is going on astrologically right now. The Cosmos is all about bringing one's shadow self to the fore and accepting it to find balance. Maybe we were under the same influences in 1997.

Lauren Raine said...

Thank you Gail.......I wish i knew more about such astrology, but I do know that much of what I've been doing this year has all been about working with shadow. In fact, I just finished a two part workshop the Jung society here held on "Shadow". Perhaps that's why I just felt like sharing this poem.

Valerianna said...

Incredible writing, Lauren.

Yesterday I had a two hour session with Jewell... at various points throughout the session, I was thinking of you! She sometimes uses the rattle you made her with me and one time I mentioned you at the end of the session, and she said, oh, that rattle was made by Lauren.

I hope someday we meet.... many blessings today and I bet a "Shadow" workshop was good and intense!

Lauren Raine said...

Hi Valerianna,

with perfect timing, I was just writing about Jewell in my new post. Thank you!