Written to the prompt F is for Free
Freeing My Mind
I tried to free my mind from all the things I had to do:
Cook the dinner, do the washing, walk the dog and clean the loo.
My list grew ever longer and I so wanted to bin it
But the more I tried to free my mind, the more things came back in it.
I tried to free some time for me, to re-centre myself,
But couldn’t quite ignore the dust that lines the kitchen shelf,
The cobwebs and the flies that died upon the window sill,
The fridge that needs a clear out and the greasy oven grill.
I tried to balance yin and yang with Eastern meditation
Which would have stood a better chance with me under sedation.
I tried to balance on one leg while trying out tai-chi,
I ended up on crutches with a badly twisted knee.
I tried to find some inner peace and so was quite prepared
To listen to my heartbeat, but frankly, I was scared
‘Cos all I thought was please don’t stop – I need you to keep going!
Instead of slowing down, my anxious heart rate just kept growing.
I tried to free the muscles knotted from the daily grind,
To rectify my posture – healthy body, healthy mind.
But yoga was beyond me as I found when told to bend –
The doc says I’ll be upright soon, she’s sure I’m on the mend.
I tried to free myself from so-called mobile phone addiction.
But no half-hearted measures: I would do it with conviction.
I threw the thing away and now no longer have a care:
I do not know who’s doing what to whom, how, why or where.
I tried to free my body from over-processed food
Which didn’t prove that easy – I have several swings of mood:
Some days I crave a burger, and some days fish and chips
While only carrot sticks and filtered water pass my lips.
I tried to free my wardrobe from its full-to-bursting state
By getting rid of clobber most of which was out of date.
I threw this out. I threw that out. I filled seventeen bags
Of clothes to give to charity and I’m now dressed in rags.
I tried to free the house of clutter – stuff, accumulated –
It looks like me and hoarding things are quite closely related.
Does this spark joy? Does that? Does that? Does this make your heart sing?
Oh, life’s too short for that – I just got rid of everything.
I’m cool, calm and collected, and nothing fazes me;
There’s nothing I can call my own, no friends, house, family;
Don’t care about news, politics, art, culture, sport or weather,
’Cos I tried to free my mind and now I’ve lost it altogether.
© Carol Carman 2024
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