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I NOW HOLD THE SONG OF MY SOUL by Maureen Kwiat Meshenberg

This poem actually did not start off as a poem...

The beginning part started off as a prose piece I wrote last December when I found out that I had breast cancer. My body floated between the stillness of winter and the movement of my being. I held the illness like my winter. What claimed my body had me pause and come to a place of reclaiming me; physically and spiritually. 

My time of pause came to me not only to heal but rejuvenate a new me. I found deep within my sanctuary a place to hold space for this change to my being. These words echo through me, "I will not sink too deep that I forget myself not fight for what I can claim to be mine." I did not let anger or allow sorrow to consume me. Instead, I held the song of my soul and moved through this time of embracing grace. 

As I now come full circle from the scars of surgery, chemo, radiation, I found this piece as a Facebook memory and decided to resurrect it as a poem. The song of my soul is claiming my power now. That power is light and love which lasts forever, even in death.  

I Now Hold the Song of My Soul
by Maureen Kwiat Meshenberg 

I float between
the stillness of winter
and the movement
of my being
I see rest calling me
to rejuvenate
bring pause
to my mind, body and spirit
I see my soul cry reach
to pull through
the power of me,
resilience meeting
the edge of me.
I will not sink too deep
that I forget myself 
not fight for what
I can claim to be mine
my power is 
my light,
my love,
and strength.
In this quiet rest
winter holds my soul
I raise my arms
like bare branches naked
they hold
the song speak 
of winter birds
embracing sanctuary
I now hold 
the song of my soul
like a howl,
a cry
my warrior call
for I am a descendant 
of the ancient ones
women that
danced with drum
around the fire
held the darkness
of winter's breath
on their tongues
through their prayers,
their mantras, 
their harmonies of life 
clothed in light
I hold this truth
close to my sacred,
my holy voice
through the
essence of life itself
my woman speak
my voice of strength
voice of power
voice of love.



Maureen Kwiat Meshenberg is an author and a prolific poetess. She is guided by her inner soul’s journey and her empathic musings about life. Maureen’s draws from her human experiences, bringing reflective, soulful thoughts of the heart and the shifts in life’s journey to her poetry. Her most recent work includes her own Facebook page called Heart’s Calling where she currently reaches almost 3,000 regular readers. She also has her own website here. She currently hosts a monthly  sacred creative writing circle for women using writing prompts as a means of inner releasing. Maureen has 3 adult children and currently lives in Oak Park, Illinois. She has recently published her first debut poetry book called Seasons of the Soul: Transitions and Shifts of Life which can be purchased here. 



~If you are interested in seeing your poetry appear in this blog, or submitting a poem by a woman that has inspired you, please click here for submission guidelines. I greatly look forward to hearing from you!~ 

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