Firsthand Love

I’ve lived in dread. 
In my head ask, 
Love dead can’t be 
The only love  
For me, can it? 
No, damn it! I 
Won’t sit still for 
Any more life 
As boor’s wife, with
Soul strife dire. Fate
 Won’t soulmate make; 
Negate that thought! 
True love’s not that 
Hard. Got free and 
Found joy grand with 
Firsthand love... me. 

This is one of my very favorite poetry forms, the Than Bauk. It’s from Myanmar (Burma), and writing out the rules for it is a lengthy process that is confusing to read, so you can read about it in prompt #22 of the Around the World poetry challenge by murisopsis. It’s not as hard as it sounds. I wrote two Than Bauks I didn’t like before writing this one. Once you get in the groove, it comes pretty easily.

I believe in soulmates. Since all things are possible with God, I also believe in reincarnation. I believe that soulmates will seek out each other across multiple lifetimes. I’ve been very upset at the thought that my ex-husband is my soulmate because I have no desire to be saddled with his mansplaining, body shaming, gaslighting, serial lying ass again.

The good news is that sometimes, your true love is your first love. And sometimes, your soul requires no mate. I will hold onto both of those thoughts for the future.