Halving

Today, a dear friend wrote me about her life and her art. She talked about the concept of personal "halving". Her intent was to express how it feels to be divided between two loyalties, two roles and two emotions. Without disclosing private contents of that correspondence, I will simply admit the idea brought to mind a poem of my own.

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How does a woman feel when the self splits the roles of artist and homemaker into one that lies dormant while the other one activates its creative impulses. This took a bit of reflection but the following thoughts came to me ........xxxxxxxx

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While Meditating

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My figure leans against the garden wall
absorbing the breath
of jasmine and lilies.

Here, I leave my body
restful, letting the sun
sculpt her shadow
while I, spirit,
stirred from half light, half space,
enter the tea house
and begin writing

This morning, other women too
will perform an act
of separation --
dark laundry from pale,
egg whites from yolk,

or like myself,
muse from the traditional mold
of home maker and wife.