Metaphor Poem
Created by the participants in the “Wonderment and the Art of Being Alive” workshop led by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer in January 2022.
Freedom is the wild turkey that trots on the dusty rocks
Love is the aardvark that digs in the gut
Fear is the golden retriever that chews on my pant cuff as I try to get onto the school bus
Shadowy is the cat that creeps in the kitchen
Betrayal is the serpent that ambushes in broad daylight
Kindness is the deer that glides through my heart
Anger is the tiger that stalks in the shadows of my conscious
Ambition is the elephant that smiles in the forest
Fear is the sloth that sleeps in the shadows
Love is the goldfish that glistens in the heart
Guilt is a worm that burrows in your heart
Fear is the lion that roars in the heart
Fear is the snake that lurks in the bush
LOVE is the RIVER OTTER that GLIDES in and out of view
Motherhood is the bear that roars in the embrace
Boredom is the goldfish that swims in the bowl
Dignity is the Horse that rears in the Open Field
Joy is the hummingbird that flutters in the heart
Joy is the mouse that roars in the night
Longing is the thing with claws that roars in my chest
Shame is the armadillo that rolls under a bush
Joy is the kangaroo that bounds across the soul
Worry is the mosquito that buzzes in my ear
Joy is the Lion that stays in the room
Trust is the deer that watches from the tree
Tenderness is the mother elephant gathering babies
Joy is the monkey that dances in the dark
Pleasure is the turtle that crawls on the superhighway
Grief is the cobra that coils in the garden shed
Peace is the dog that steadily walks by our side
Pleasure is the hamster that jogs on his wheel
Sadness is the cow that dawdles in the spirit
Delight is the pelican who plunges into the surf
Desire is the lynx that pads through the heart
Panic is the electric eel that rattles in my brain
Stillness is the hummingbird that hovers in my heart
Jeopardy is the snake that slithers between my choices
Kindness is the dog that sniffs my hand
Peace is the comforter that cuddles the brain
Kindness is the fox that races in the heart
Sorrow is the blue-footed booby that yawns in an easy chair
Beauty is the lion that pounces in the marsh
Wonder is the eagle that soars in the sky.
Fear is the tiger that pounces while we sleep
Vulnerability is the bobcat that slinks into the forest
Love is the dog that wags its tail in my soul.
Rage is the owl that stares but does not stir
Grief is the crab that hides in the damp shadows
Desire is the whale that dives in the bathtub