Drowning and Jasmine

from The Mother Poems by Shambhavi Sarasvati at Kindred 108. We're all kindred here.

I had to put dawn jasmine  
on my crown  
I had to put night jasmine  
on my brow and heart and wrists

I had to remember the
sweet wealth 
of life's cascade 

I see the richness here,  
but sometimes the poetry,  
the scent  
eludes me

Each day brings 
fresh revelations of our genius
for inflicting 
horrors on ourselves 
and our world  
  
This grief drowns us all

But still the jasmine flows,  
and the truth is
we are all swimmers 
in the river of that infinite
perfume

from The Mother Poems by Shambhavi Sarasvati

Want more? Please join me and the Jaya Kula community for satsang & kirtan every Sunday at 3:30pm Pacific. Come in person to 1215 SE 8th Ave, Portland, OR, or join the Jaya Kula News Facebook group to get the Zoom link for satsang. You can also listen to my podcast—Satsang with Shambhavi—wherever podcasts are found.