Under a sullen, unloving sky,
Caught off guard by the searching rain,
She flees to shieldlike canopies.
A pilgrim on the path of shadow
Ever tethered to the flame.
Enslaved to the way of fire
Sycophant of the eternal blaze.
Condemned to spend the end of days
Wandering wastelands of the Sun,
Forever exiled from the shade.

In the darkness she would remain,
If only she would have her way.
Cocooned in shells of memory
Fogs of war,
Ill explained.
Though the forest chatter
Never quite sounds the same,
The pitter patter
Pauses,
Secrets encoded in the rain.
Her frail wings lay broken
Breath comes barely when spoken,
Offspring away upon the wind.
Though they took no time to notice
The darkness roars forth and shows us

We have our own fires to attend.

We woke one morn
To the song of storms
And the iron grip of fever.
Torn between the call of war
Fleeting dreams of Patagonia.
The afterglow of horror shows
Shadows left upon the mountain.
Nightmares rise from water falls
Sanguine spectres in the fountain.
Preachers drink long, far, and deep
While prophets speak of profits reaped
And treasures yet to be found.
Among andean condor calls
Those who seek live weak to greed
Forever bound enthralled.

The Sun was late today,
Claims she was stuck in traffic,
Surrounded by clouds that
Would not give way.
She apologises nonetheless,
For any inconvenience caused
The delays and/or distress.

I suspect she simply overslept.
Based on the smell of ethanol,
Cigarettes upon the breath.
Half popped packs of paracetamol
Left discarded on the desk.
The good mornings softly spoken
That shows the will is bent,
Not broken.
Ignoring token take out coffee
Cups of renewable confessions.

It's quite the sight to see,
The one that's always early
Arriving this time dishevelled,
Disoriented, unsettled.
She stumbles through yawns
Stretching out the groans of dawn.
Still she manages a smile.
So the world begins to brighten
At least for a little while.

~
February 2024
HP Poet: Jamadhi Verse
Age: 39
Country: USA


Question 1: A warm welcome to the HP Spotlight, J Verse. Please tell us about your background?

Jamadhi Verse: "I was born and on and off raised in a small town in Northern New Jersey, about 25 minutes outside of New York City. My childhood was a constant, unstable state of motion. As a little girl I was always changing homes, schools, and states every year, dissolving possessions, driving back and forth across the country in all directions on the open, endless road. Always beginning new chapters that required the courage to say hello and the inevitability of saying goodbye. The only thing that remained familiar and everlasting was the acceptance and necessity to repeatedly let go of everything and everyone and have faith that there was nothing that could not be regained in some new form, in some new place. I studied at Pace University in Manhattan and Middlesex University in London, as an Anthropology major with a minor in Religious Studies. I have spent most of my adult life in Seattle, Washington and have lived very simply. I have never felt a pull toward a specific career or setting down permanent roots. I don’t wish to own a home or become a parent. I am inclined only to explore and learn as much as I can, to watch and marvel at unpredictability, and to write of my witnessing it. I am blessed to have had many adventures and I have a lot of interesting and strange stories."


Question 2: How long have you been writing poetry, and for how long have you been a member of Hello Poetry?

Jamadhi Verse: "I have been writing poetry on and off since I was a child, but words did not become a flowing torrent for me until I was in my late 20s. The unaddressed and unspoken suddenly wanted outside of me. The silence and stoicism that my childhood strictly enforced could stand its firm stance no longer. The dam broke and the river roared and suddenly for the first time ever, my true self was speaking and I was learning about the woman that it turns out that I am.

I have been on HP for almost 8 years. Through this site I grew loud my own inner voice, discovered my strength, and broke away from my shyness. I learned I could allow myself to write without trepidation. HP has allowed me many close friendships and even a loving relationship with another poet here. This site has been a true gateway and an unexpected journey."


Question 3: What inspires you? (In other words, how does poetry happen for you).

Jamadhi Verse: "A thin, crescent moon hanging in the black sky. The reverberating sound of the waves. Longings that run so painfully deep they create a chasm in your being. Nostalgia that cuts deep with illusion. The magic of a moment dancing its circles around you. Everything comes to me, wanting to be put into Words."


Question 4: What does poetry mean to you?

Jamadhi Verse: "I found poetry as a means to finally use my voice. I grew up in traumatic circumstances as a child, learning very early on that the best way to stay strong was to be quiet and keep all opinions, needs, and desires to myself. I was inwardly a very intense world of observations and dreaming that was completely stifled and uncharted. I was so good at dismissing my own feelings that as I moved into adulthood I had to admit that I knew nothing of my own self. I never let anything inside me, out. Poetry was the unraveling confession. The voice that refused to stop speaking until my eyes and heart were finally wide open to who I am and my stance in life. It was my complete release into trust, gratitude, and acceptance through full honesty. Once I discovered I could closely connect to others through this medium and realized that poetry helps to inspire, heal, and even walk other’s through their most challenging points in life, it became my central meaning. Poetry is our inmost intimacy, grown ripe when given to the light. It feeds others through their famine and plants new seeds."


Question 5: Who are your favorite poets?

Jamadhi Verse: "Rainer Maria Rilke, Rumi, Pablo Neruda, Ann Sexton, T.S. Eliot. They are the light and shadow in everyone."


Question 6: What other interests do you have?

Jamadhi Verse: "Photography is as crucial a part of my life as my writing. I love to take walks deep in nature. I am a passionate music enthusiast and see as much live music as possible. My record is 76 concerts in a year. I love to travel and have visited 14 countries so far. I have a deep kinship with animals and enjoy birds and dogs best. I enjoy reading, puzzles, live theater, and museums. I am interested in all subjects that fall into the realm of mystery and the paranormal. I practice psychedelic exploration, meditation, sensory deprivation, and other forms of exploring our consciousness."


Carlo C. Gomez: “We wish to thank you for giving us this opportunity to get to know the person behind the poet, J Verse! We are honored to add you to this series!”

Jamadhi Verse: "Thank you with all my heart for allowing me to speak today and for your receptiveness to my words. I heal because you listen."



Thank you everyone here at HP for taking the time to read this. We hope you enjoyed coming to know Jamadhi Verse a little bit better. I surely did. It is our wish that these spotlights are helping everyone to further discover and appreciate their fellow poets. – Carlo C. Gomez

We will post Spotlight #13 in March!

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