Those Who Cannot Tolerate Beauty
a new poem and a new book (coming in April)
Dear Friends,
My new book of poetry is nearly born! It’s actually two groups of poems related by turmoil, chaos, and the tenderness that arises in times of destruction.
I began writing Mother Poems during a turbulent period in my spiritual life. But on October 7, 2023, a larger turbulence erupted. My poetry and other writings took a sharp turn toward documenting my responses to the first live-streamed genocide in human history.
A Crack in Time is an outpouring of tenderness and admiration, of horror and grief. It enumerates crimes and speaks innumerable pleas.
These two groups of poems contain much of what could be called prayer. They each attempt to bring disruption, doubt, cruelty, clarity, and chaos onto our paths of awakening. I gathered them together in one book as a modest demonstration that all aspects of life are connected, and so are we.
The cover is finished. The interior layout process will get started in a couple of weeks. As soon as the book is available for pre-order, I’ll let you know!
Those Who Cannot Tolerate Beauty is a single poem that speaks of intimacies between our everyday lives and what is happening in Gaza.
with infinite love,
Shambhavi
Those Who Cannot Tolerate Beauty
Our god is an enjoyer of the beauty of all beings and things. Our god’s rapture is a falling for the glamorousness of the creation. Feeling abandoned, those who fall too far from god learn to hate god’s magical ornamentation. I know this from the sad ones who have tried to kill the sweetness the freedom in me. They painfully exist tortured by desires to destroy what they want and what they love. I know this from the sapphire sky aqua sea and dusty green of newly-planted olive trees that frame more fragile scenes of Gaza's decimation. I know this from exquisite Gazan faces old and young mourning and dead alive and dancing and the rage of those who over and over again fail to extinguish their light.
from Mother Poems and A Crack in Time, forthcoming from Jaya Kula Press
Not quite ready to fire up a paid subscription, but want to show your appreciation?
Please join Shambhavi and the Jaya Kula community for satsang & kirtan every Sunday at 3:00pm Pacific. Come in person to 1215 SE 8th Ave, Portland, OR, or join Jaya Kula’s newsletter on Substack to get the Zoom link for satsang. You can also listen to my podcast—Satsang with Shambhavi—wherever podcasts are found.
This is achingly beautiful. Thank you.