histórias de Sjcross

This Haiku, Dreams and Bills, in a traditional 5-7-5 constrained stanza, explores the contrast between the daily grind and the pursuit of our aspirations. This haiku is reflective of growing up and putting aside our dreams. Instead, we succumb to the daily grind - tied to our responsibilities, thus needing to emphasise our occupation and need to pay our bills first. Everything else becomes secondary. As a result, we become trapped in a cycle of wishing we could pursue our dreams, yet being confined to our daily responsibilities, then eventually, making excuses as to why we can't find time for our dreams. I took time away from work to pursue my writing, which I've always wanted to do. I've put in time to work on my craft and build on this. Whilst I may not be there yet (and some people may think me foolish for being a 'dreamer'), I say, why not? If I can make the time for it, then why not? It takes hard work and dedication, and today, we've become too used to 'instant gratification'. But I realised the only thing stopping me is myself - you'd be amazed what 20 - 30 minutes a day set aside for your passion and dream can achieve over time. I now work remotely, so I have more time to dedicate to writing and my craft. I spend probably as much time as an average working day on this. My goal, ultimately, is to be a full-time author, and that's what I'm working on. Here, for now, I am sharing more intimate reflective pieces - poems, haiku - which I invite you to think about and reflect upon in your own way. I'm up late most nights, hours lost in doing this. Hence, I truly appreciate your support. I look forward to reading your interpretations and how this Haiku may resonate with you, dear reader. Thank you, SJ x

"Serpent's Surrender" is a poem I wrote whilst listening to the artist 'Bad Omens'. The poem was my way of coping with losing my TaTa (grandfather), whom I never got to say goodbye to. Inspired by the song 'The Grey' from the Bad Omens album, I was able to confront a very tumultuous process of prolonged grief and loss. My grandfather was a very special person. He always saw the brighter side of life and believed in me and the art I wanted to pursue. Obviously, it was not easy to write this. However, I sincerely hope that in doing so, you will find solace and peace within the words. The poem utilises the metaphor of a snake or serpent, symbolising death and rebirth. Similarly, the motif of shedding its skin, its behaviours and impact on my psyche, are complemented and juxtaposed against the narrative of initially being constrained by guilt, to then acknowledging the reality of loss, then finally, letting go and healing. I have used a five-stanza style with parenthesis for the internal monologue. Thank you. [All rights reserved and copyrighted. Please seek permission if you wish to republish]