Deirdre Neilen, PhD: Two of our poets used alternative therapies in their poetry to regain a sense of control. Jennifer Campbell is an English professor from Buffalo, New York. Her poem "Center of Balance" is not just about yoga.
"Center of Balance"
My son is standing
on double digits any second
navigating independence
and desperate need
The world is still
at war with misinformation
the news breaks a new heart
with every passing day
I've forgotten what it feels like
to make decisions
without consequences
and a silver jolt of fear
But today a device
tells me my center
of balance is perfect
stable 50/50
And I can feel it
grounded in my breath
a moment at the peak
until I topple from the pose
a full somersault
and exhilarating thud
that has my husband yelling
from downstairs, Are you all right?
Claudia M. Reder from Pennsylvania has a new chapbook coming out soon from Finishing Line Press. In the poem she sent us, her narrator stops to watch a woman doing t'ai chi.
Here is "On My Way to the Ocean I Spot a Woman Who Practices T'ai Chi."
I used to be her. I watch.
The chi waits for me to remember,
like a horse who whinnies
and nickers on seeing its owner
after so many years.
Although my motions tremor
and my legs no longer lower towards
the earth that they love,
my knees and arms soften,
the warmth of chi in my rounding palms.
Although my motions create shadows
larger and more expansive
than my body can muster,
I know what it's like to be warmed
by the weight of light
on leaves.
