Category: Poetry

With exposing my shadow,
I become more.
A more balanced person,
than I was before.
-Tara Payne Steele

Deep within there is a glow that illuminates…
When life is painful, the light soothes.
When I am lost, the light guides.
When times are tough, the light sustains.
When my bones ache with cold, the light warms.
When I don’t understand, the light imparts knowledge.
When I fear the unknown, the light reveals.
Deep within there is a glow that illuminates…
The light within my soul.

Lush vines ensnare
The tangled mass firmly secures
the empty vessel that is me
I look below, only hopelessness
I look above, only despair
Before me shadows move
wraiths awaiting my demise
Coldness grips what is left of my soul
Living untruths
My mind descends into madness
A shell deprived of that which feels life
Dying slowly
No light can penetrate the vines that grow ever thicker, binding tighter
Suffocating hope
Will my soul rot as the leaves decay in the vast emptiness of time wasted?
Will I hunger no more for dreams unfulfilled?
I blindly reach out, grasping for freedom
Thorny vines dig deeper, piercing my flesh
Determined to escape
I fight for deliverance
Beyond that which is  known
Beyond that which is safe
As I fade to dust, I float above the dried vines
I am transformed by the dynamic process of faith
faith in life
faith in love
faith in dreams
The renewed me basks in the glow of Self discovery
I inhale sweet life
As I exhale the dried vines float away, never to return.

To be a woman is truly a blessing.
They are the vessels for life and delicious passion.
They are lovers,
mothers,
sisters,
daughters.
They open themselves to others.

To be a woman is truly a blessing.
They are gifted with the wisdom of the ages.
They are intuitive,
nurturers,
healers,
mystics.
They share their bounty with others.

To be a woman is truly a blessing.
I too am a woman.

~Tara Payne Steele

My mother was a belle of the South,
Her grace and beauty surpassed only by her loving spirit.
Her curly black hair French-rolled to perfection.
Her gifts were many, cooking was not one.
She could unexpectedly look down in grass and find a lucky clover.
She could cure ailments with a verse from the mighty King James.
She sang sweet soprano as doves cooed along.

But…

When my mother laughed, angels journeyed from on high.
When my mother laughed, demons forgot their mischief.
When my mother laughed, hearts were uplifted.
When my mother laughed, my world was perfect.

~Tara Payne-Steele

 

The world is perpetually changing,
our lives in continuous flux.
Peace dwells in nooks and crannies,
so obscure it’s overlooked.

I searched the whole world over,
for peace throughout the haze.
I discovered its splendid beauty,
when within I turned my gaze.

In myself I found acceptance,
and the world soon followed suit.
The peace I sought was in my heart,
Self-love was all it took.

~Tara Payne Steele

Butterflies kissing roses for sweet nectar
Chasing lightening bugs on a warm summer evening
Admiring glorious daybreaks and vermilion sunsets
Endless stars that engulf the sky.

A cordial smile from a total stranger
A story that takes me to undiscovered places
My daughters’ laughter at my silliness
My family’s love empowering me.

A sweet, creative, and loving man
A goodnight kiss that lasts all night
Being madly in love when making love
Intimate connections with unconditional acceptance.

Following my dreams in spite of the odds
Spiritual guidance from the universe
Living for today, yet dreaming of tomorrow
Loving myself and acknowledging my past.

All these nurture my spirit and I am truly grateful.

~Tara Payne Steele

My dreams of love were vivid and true
My heart sang a song of longing
I met you one day and instantly knew
You had to be the one.

I opened my heart and you stepped in
Our similarities were uncanny
You matched my soul unlike other men
I prayed you were the one.

I wanted you to comfort and keep me near
unconditional love I gave you
I was deceived now one thing’s clear
Thank God you’re not the one.

~Tara Payne Steele

I am a writer stuck in a cube,
visions of happiness silently subdued.

My bored right-brain soundly sleeps,
startled awake when the fax machine beeps.

I stand at the copier mulling over my dreams,
escape’s my only hope, or so it seems.

I hear the ringing of the telephone,
while my heart yearns only to be left alone.

While stuck in a cube from nine to five,
my creativity aches to be alive.

I strive for an office with a door,
will that undoubtedly valuate me more?

I try to evoke creative energies,
gasping for insight in doldrums seas.

I realize that life in a cubicle for me,
is not as rewarding as I’d hoped it would be.

~Tara Payne Steele

Sweetened rays of sunlight served in a chilled Mason Jar
Life’s nectar that relieves the parched throat of the Southern summer
Condensation glides down the side
Inviting me to sip…
and sip…
and sip some more
I open my eyes and see only ice cubes
Sadness blankets my soul
as the last drop of sweetness lingers on my lips
I sigh with satisfaction…
…and pour more

~Tara Payne Steele