RULES by Janavi Held

 

Rules

 

There is 

a restless beauty

in the winds 

of simple despair

 

sands of time 

shatter 

no matter what

age or time

grab what wills you

 

stamp out

the cold fire

of rules:

those foolish things 

blocking creative forces

always 

to be reckoned with.

Safety 

never makes 

true things.

Even in minds 

saturated with brilliance.

 

Step differently-

finding your gait,

opening new worlds

where you stand

with love,

out of reach 

of old monsters.

Not fighting

just stepping

to the side

where people live,

knowing the difference

in bones

of fearless 

self-made lives.

(This poem will appear in a posthumous collection of poetry to be published in 2022)

Janavi Held (1965-2018) was a soulful dancer, artist, poet, photographer and yogini that was suddenly struck with an incurable illness in her forties, and spent the last five years of her life bedridden, writing poems. During that time, Janavi published her first poetry collection Letters to my Oldest Friend: A Book of Poetry and Photography, and had two of her poems shortlisted for the prestigious Hamilton House International Poetry Prize awarded by the University Centre Grimsby, and published in their anthology "Eternal". Janavi also contributed poems to two poetry anthologies, Bhakti Blossoms: A Collection of Contemporary Vaishnavi Poetry and GODDESS: When She Rules: Expressions by Contemporary Women. After a carefree childhood of writing poetry and wandering around with her father’s camera, Janavi dedicated herself to practicing Bhakti Yoga at age nineteen.She held a bachelor’s degree from Goddard College where she studied poetry, photography, and media studies. Janavi passed away peacefully in December of 2018 after having battled a brutal illness. She left behind over 4,000 poems, some of which are being curated into a posthumous publication to be published with Golden Dragonfly Press. You may read more of her poems and view her artwork on her website here and Facebook page here. 

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