In The Steps Of Rumi 85: A Messed-Up Life Poem by Michael Shepherd

Your life is a mess? In every way?
And no sign of change?
Your fault? Or that of others?
Does it matter which, any more?

Tears maybe? Time, then,
for a laugh…
try this:

thank your lucky stars –
or whatever or whoever
you might thank, in the unlikely
chance you feel like thanking –

for the freewill that allowed you
to create this lifelong mess..

You’re joking? What a laughable idea!
That’s totally absurd and inappropriate..
ineffective, too…

go on – laugh at the absurdity of it..

Sleep on it… and if tomorrow morning,
there’s still the echo of your dismissive laughter –

something, a tiny something,
may have lodged in the mind,
saying, it’s not hopeless, not
there, where freewill and laughter
were first thought of..

are first thought of..