Let Your Thoughts Be Clouds

a meditative poem

Lie back, falling

carefree onto the cumulus,

stretch your limbs

like a snow angel

swimming on a billowing sea.

Let loose your bones

as you sink

into the bed of foam,

water vapor wrapping you,

cool mist on your face.

Raise your eyes skyward,

feathery pillows

hovering above,

envision them

effervescing into bubbles,

encircling your troubles

in delicate spheres of light,

ascending into the heavens.

Whish away

evanescent wisps,

smudges of sugar-white

cotton candy, vanishing

with a gentle wind.

Blow a puff,

a steady breath

of dandelion fluff,

like a wish

floating into blue,

curling, as if a wave,

out of view

before darkening to gray.

Close your eyes,

holding nothing

but airy strings

of white, drifting,

drifting away.

I’ve never been one for meditation. Writing and walking in nature are my mindful activities of choice. But a friend and Reiki practioner guided me in the meditative practice of brushing away thoughts like clouds. That exercise allowed me to empty my mind of looming thoughts and feel a deeper sense of peace, one I’d not experienced through my few weak attempts at meditation.

I use the image of pushing the clouds from my mind often now, whenever I find myself ruminating on things that are beyond my control, especially in the middle of the night, which is when this poem came about. I literally typed it on my phone in the dark and then drifted back to sleep saying these words to myself, and whishing away my thoughts like clouds.

I have since revised this poem, for I write much better during the waking hours (and because Poetry Is Revision), and I offer these words to you with the hope that they bring you to a moment of calm and quiet peace.

If my words resonated with you, I’d love to hear from you in the comments. Thank you for reading! May your thoughts be gentle wisps of clouds.