Passion…unbridled

I saw an advertisement that proclaimed

“Disappear for a month and your life reclaim”

It was supposed to be for burnout a plan of action

When I saw it, my very first reaction

Was that the universe was calling out to me

For impending burnout that was what I needed exactly

To retreat from daily life for a month and embark

On a journey for soul-searching, to reignite my spark..

The clickbait was definitely designed for someone like me

Searching for a solution to prevent burnout desperately

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If it were that simple perhaps most organizations

Would grant their employees a month-long vacation

Assuming that they would emerge completely cured

From burnout and be ready to take on more..

Disappearing for a month to practice new strategies for burnout

Is attractive in principle without a doubt

But would those strategies work when you came back

Would you be able to apply in your old life new hacks?

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A period of rest helps, but does not eliminate

The factors that led to burnout, so unless you could start with a clean slate

Running away for a month just to return to the old place

Would be unlikely to make it any easier to face

The same old issues, therefore in the trenches I remain

Trying to make changes that can be sustained

Such that the threat of burnout gradually decreases

And my professional satisfaction increases

Entitlement as a negative trait is viewed

But people with a sense of entitlement exude

Quiet confidence that tends to open doors

Without the need to ask for more

They appear comfortable in their skin

And that allows them to score more wins

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Conversely people who do not possess

A sense of entitlement view the path to success

As being full of struggle, they do not appear

As confident, their demeanor underscores their fear

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I feel entitled at times because of my educational qualifications

I conduct myself with confidence and sophistication

I know doors open because I assume it’s my right

Between confidence and arrogance I walk a rope tight

Perhaps AI can craft a poem better than a person

Because it can rehash thousands of poems to create a version

That is perfect in rhyme, meter, syntax and form

That to every rule of writing poetry can conform

But when a human poet writes a poem he involves in the process

His thoughts and emotions, which AI does not possess

If the poet’s impression a poem does nor convey

Then is the poem even worth writing anyway?

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If poetry can be written without a soul

How can the beauty of poetry be extolled?

Who benefits from reading a verse composed

By AI, who needs of counterfeit medicine a dose?

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If poems are worth reading, I strongly believe

They should be written by people who can conceive

Of ideas based on their feelings intimate

Not by AI that can large volumes of data collate

What would a life synchronized with my hormones look like?

If I could harness the estrogen spike

Push myself further, try to achieve more

At the peak of my energy, some wins score

Go out in the world with confidence

Engage in physical activity intense

Then start slowing down, to focus on self-care

In the second half of the month, prepare

For physical discomfort and imminent mood swings

That the second half of the month brings

Spend time in quiet self-reflection, amble at a slower pace

For the discomfort about to come, myself brace

Devote the worst part of the month to much-needed rest

So that with the hormonal upswing, I am ready to give it my best..

*

Alas, the work landscape was by men designed

No one had women’s physiology in mind

So women try to ignore their hormonal waves

And put up a front that is brave

Despite this, I’ve realized that if I live

In synchrony with my hormones, I can be more productive

So wherever I can, I have decided to follow

My cyclic hormonal ebb and flow

She made my day when I walked in to her room

Her face lit up, the veil of gloom

That hung over her face seemed to lift

Her beatific smile I accepted as my gift

*

Under the treatment prescribed by me

She was improving, albeit slowly

To a hospital bed for weeks she had been confined

Never once had she complained or whined

But she had around her an aura of sadness

That was disappointing to me, I confess

Until today, when her face brightened at my sight

Things were finally headed in a direction that was right

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She smiled and told me she felt really good

And that made me happier than I thought it could

Her face lit up, and brightened my day

With a renewed sense of purpose I went on my way

I love words, in what they can convey

I like using a variety of words to say

What I want to, therefore my efforts to increase

The breadth of my vocabulary never cease..

But unfortunately my shrinking brain cells

No longer in learning new words serve me well

To expand my vocabulary is a battle uphill

My word-specific memory has many gaps to fill

The tongue-twister names of new medications I have to memorize

And that limits my ability to learn other words, I’ve realized

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New words that manage to stick in my mind

Are those that leave an impression- I find

That random words plucked out of a dictionary

Are unlikely to have a lasting place in my memory

Whereas words that come with interesting associations

Get lodged in my brain at a permanent station

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I find joy in discovering words previously unknown to me

When I read, clever placement of words I tend to see

Languages are rich, may I continue

To learn words that to me sound new

As a child I was encouraged to pursue academic excellence with a one-track mind

That was the foundation on which my future would be designed

So that was what I did, never allowing my creative side to bloom

On the rigorous path of academic success there was no room

To while away precious time in artwork, creative writing or dance

I internalized that creative pursuits could not help me advance

In my career or life (the two were for all intents and purposes the same)

I ended up with a coveted career, so the strategy I cannot blame

Through all the years of studying and working hard, there was one regret

To flex my creative skills, enough time I did not get

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In my middle age, when my career had reached a plateau

I realized it was about time to let my creative juices flow

Thus began my journey into amateur writing and art

My career stokes my intellect, creative expression soothes my heart

The elusive balance in life seems easier to achieve

Both art and science need a place in my life, I’ve come to believe

You think you are not creative, but that is not true

Let me break down the creative process for you..

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Take a leaf out of your own book

Through your lived experiences look

For a way to distill a voice that is distinct

A voice that is composed of your own instinct

Not the one that has been planted by others in your head

But the one you have nurtured in solitude instead..

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Unleash your creativity once your authentic voice you find

Bring into the world ideas that germinate in your mind

Create something exquisite for everyone to see

Through your preferred medium express yourself freely

Connect with the world, and heal from inside

When you cultivate your creative side

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Through your creative expression, inspire

Others to express their hidden desires

Let your creativity spur others to be creative too

Paying it forward is the most joyful thing to do

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Bring into the world something new

A creative masterpiece that is unique to you!

She was forging a path ahead in a field male-dominated

Working twice as hard, often being underestimated

To prove her worth she was determined

She had decided she was in it to win

By bringing feminine qualities to the table she had been burnt

Therefore lessons from successful men she had learnt

She knew she had qualities that could raise

Her to the top, most challenges left her unfazed

*

She could not pinpoint what triggered her downward slide

A single display of “feminine” emotion was highly publicized

No time was wasted in her being labeled

As volatile, prone to outbursts and unreliable

She lost support in a matter of weeks

In her defense she was never allowed to freely speak

By trying to explain, she gave them more ammunition

Soon she had lost her hard-earned reputation

*

She was left with no choice but to leave her hard-earned position

She was scarred by this experience beyond recognition

Her confidence had been completely shattered

It seemed to her that her talent had never mattered..

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It was a slow crawl out of a deep, dark hole

She had difficulty trusting a single soul

But she knew she was destined to achieve more

So she rejoined the workforce, better prepared than before

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There are ongoing battles that she has to fight

But this time she is determined to do it “right”

It’s a man’s world, the bitter truth she has realized

She has to play by their rules in order to rise

This is one of the most profound things ever said

If you want to change the world, start by making your bed

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You wake up and make your bed, this is the first thing you do

The first task of the day is now complete; congratulations to you

As the day progresses and new challenges you face

You can take them head on from a place

Of accomplishment, you did not procrastinate

In the morning, the rest of the day your motivation would be great

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Making your bed is the first step towards a life of discipline

Doing it gives you a sense of accomplishment, a small win

During the rest of the day if nothing else goes right

At least you return to a bed that was already made, at night

It is important for women to practice self-care, people say

But self-care does not simply mean a spa day

Or a day off, or a day spent lazing around

Self-care can manifest in ways more profound

Because most women are not just physically depleted

It is their emotional energy that needs to be repleted

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Self-care can mean maintaining a healthy distance

From toxic people, avoiding situations that provoke emotions intense

Setting healthy boundaries and letting no one cross the line

Self-care means prioritizing peace of mind..

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For me self-care has meant walking away

From situations that would suck my energy if I were to stay

From letting go of an argument instead of trying to prove I am right

In choosing wisely the battles I should fight

I’m trying to be empathetic and I fear my words might ring hollow

And though I have not been in your exact shoes, I know

What it is like to deal with the burden, largely invisible

Of a chronic illness, to deal with much more than symptoms physical

To feel marginalized, unable to participate

In normal life, unable to fully integrate

In the community around you, because your disease

Is unpredictable, it never lets you be at ease

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I write a few prescriptions that are meant

To improve your condition, I don’t know to what extent

The hidden burden of illness the medications would impact

It is hard to measure it in terms exact

Because the numbers might look good and you might not feel well enough

Telling the world you are having a “bad day” is tough..

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I understand some of what you go through

And therefore I can truly be empathetic towards you

As I conclude the visit, I hope your good days outnumber bad

With a chronic illness, a fulfilling life can still be had