burn it down

a poem for our fighting spirit

Photo by Sepehr Moazed

Hi friends,

Wasn’t planning on writing today. We have a new Bare HEARTS Q&A coming this Sunday, April 5th and I am really looking forward to sharing this one with you. This new Bare HEARTer is just what we need for this holiday season of rebirth and the arrival of Spring!

Anyway, that was going to be it for the week, but then I was called to write this poem to reregulate my nervous system.

Today was a beautiful sunny day here in Central Italy (Spring-like spectacular!) and my spirit needed this. I was so glad because I had lots of shutters and windows to wash and I love cleaning with clear, blue skies.

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I know, you shouldn't wash windows when it is sunny. It leaves streaks. I hear my mom-in-law repeating this to me from her heavenly home - and she is probably ‘in heaven’ because I am thinking that there aren't any windows to wash up there.

close )

So, I had just finished washing them… 5 hours later.

open (

Yes, they had some streaks but you know that I am not looking for perfection in any aspect of my life so I was good with it.

close )

and I was beyond exhausted when a neighbor stops my husband and I as we were on our way out. No, ciao, come state? - she just gets right to it, starts this long-winded conversation about how the world is ending and that we better prepare ourselves. I could tell that she had just binged on some really toxic stuff. The shortage of gas at the pumps surely isn't helping her today. I feel for her. I know the reality, not hiding under boulders and bon-bons. 35-minutes of a topic I know all too well. But honestly,

it was about the last thing I wanted to hear when all I wanted to do was relax and enjoy the rest of the day’s sunshine. I kept thinking, give this gal a break - I scrubbed those sills to the bone and darn, it is Friday. I wanna step into the light now… feel the wind without the Windex.

I didn't want to seem rude. So, I softly smiled. Wanted to lighten her up. I tried changing the subject a few times, but when the rant is on, it’s on.

We finally escaped, but my mind was swirling towards the worst places. When I returned home, I prepped dinner and then wrote this poem while the rice and veggies were cooking.

I needed to give myself a pep-talk because I will not live in fear. I just won't.

It is called setting boundaries.

This is for anyone whose nervous system needs a chill pill, for anyone who is feeling overwhelmed by the state of things, in your personal world, for the global situation, or a bit of both. For anyone who wants to be reminded that we can put it down and that, for the love of this life, we need to.

this is our reminder - when fear appears, burn it down to laughter, joy, love, conversation, creativity, dreams, vitality.

no matter what you are going through and feeling, life is not meant to be a horror show - not even now.

my heart reaching out towards yours, xo Danni

burn it down

burn down the beast
turn flamed fear not into ashes
but liquified love,
drops of dreams

it may take a while, it may take all you got, you know that it is worth it

being scared for a life, a lifetime, watching your back, wary of the shadows of change,

it looms, and you sit as the passenger dizzy and nauseous, you have no control -

cessation, culmination, a final act, an extinction of self -

it feels like it is all coming at you, for you but it is just

a feeling

not worthy of you, never has been, never will be

(notyounotyounotyou)

like a crooked system, a raunchy lover, old patterns of self-hate that is what this is

get off, step out, set fire on fear, burn it down,

you baby, rise up and breathe.

JOIN US ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5TH FOR THIS MONTH'S BARE HEARTS, a space where we grow love, community, and strength together.