A manifesto is a public declaration that spells out a set of ideals and intentions. Have you ever thought of writing one?
Manifestos are often produced by groups, such as political parties, religious associations and art movements to make obvious their views and plans. But individuals can write them too.
A while ago I started to think about the value of writing a personal manifesto. I wanted to sit myself down and get some things clear and straight. I needed to regroup and reset.
At the time I felt that my life was messy, gridlocked and overwhelming. I thought it might help to pin down what I value and how I want to move forward. I figured if I ever felt lost again I could read my manifesto to get back on track.
It took a few days to draft and refine what I wanted to say to myself and finally my manifesto took the shape of this poem:
Manifesto
like haiku
live in a hut swept clean
in a garden with a fence
on a hill with a view
like a hand written letter
unfold the past with care
wrap goodness in ribbons
burn the rest
shake the ashes off your shoes
trust yourself
to remember
to decide
to bear up
to heal
to learn
like a lighthouse
pummelled
sweep the darkness
beam through
be true
like water
finding its course
be sure
and deep too
like dirt
holding seeds
of hope
wait long for rain
be tender
gaze on each day
with its newborn face
wonder at the Earth
who tends to you
look now in the eye
hear its pulse
let it smell your fear
ruffle its mane
be leisurely
over cups of tea
sit with silence
let mystery linger
count your breath
and all your bones
balance all
that pulls
and pushes
tango with possibility
dine with diversity
fly daydreams like kites
grasp adventure
like the hand of a beloved
listen to the broken parts
they will tell you
what is needed
you will have the courage
to live forgiveness
to believe in pearls
to expect beauty
in the wild
to give love away
to let it run
through your fingers
like honey
and not call it back
to be all
you were imagined
to be
©2019Belle Perry
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