This being human is
anything but being,
simply being, is the one thing
we do not know how to do:
we can be male or female
black or white
young or old or somewhere in between
gay or straight
bisexual, transgender
Left or Right
masked-up or anti-vaxxer
rich or poor
a big shot or a loser
but we cannot seem to see
that we cause ourselves a whole worldload of trouble
all because
we cannot simply be.
© Experimentsinfiction 2021, All Rights Reserved
Written for dVerse
Tonight, Kim is hosting Poetics and has asked us to write a poem beginning with the line ‘This being human is…’ from the poem ‘The Guest House’ by Rumi.
Experiments in Fiction 
The image you chose to illustrate your poem is stunningly colourful, Ingrid, and I love where the prompt line took you – on a philosophical trip into the yin and yang, the different sides of life, and totally of our time.
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Thank you Kim. I just found that on Shutterstock and thought it was a nice fit!
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A lucky find!
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I like where you took this prompt.
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Thank you 🙏
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Yes.. to simply be is the hardest thing of all… we seem to always want to be something else and chameleon into other beings.
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Sadly true.
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This is incredibly heartfelt, Ingrid! 💝💝 You portray beautifully how people tend to miss the bigger picture by being unable to simple be… and let be. xx
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Exactly, and live and let live. Thank you Sanaa ❤️
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simply be*
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How wise you are Ingrid. We are our own worst enemies at times. Too busy and wrapped up in ourselves to realize what is important. I enjoyed this very much ☺️💕👍
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How wise you are Ingrid. We are our own worst enemies at times. Too busy and wrapped up in ourselves to realize what is important. I enjoyed this very much ☺️💕👍
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Thank you Christine, that is true! 😊🙏
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Indefinably delicious. Delicious work, Ingrid, accompanied by stunning artwork. Awesome combo!
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Thank you Ron!
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If you get my comment three times, I’m sorry! ☺️ I have the same problem as you do when commenting on my posts. Seems to only work on my MacBook or in the reader. Anything else, forget it 😬
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There is obviously a compatibility issue between our two sites 😅😳
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I’m sure it’ll get figured out at some point 🤞😦👍
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So aptly describing how we get in our own way and sometimes manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory! Well said.
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Exactly that! Thank you Beverly.
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what a great match the pic and poem are great together. all those colourful thoughts trying to trip ourselves up.
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Yes, thinking can be a mixed blessing…
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Yep, “we cannot simply be”
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Indeed!
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So True!
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Thanks Lisa!
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So very right. It is something I mourn regularly! Well expressed!
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If only, hey?
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That’s so true. We do create a lot of fuss and bother while the natural world around us shows us every day how to be.
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Yes, I am still trying to learn from it, or unlearn all the nonsense I’ve picked up since I was born!
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Me too!
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Outstanding
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Thank you 🙏
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If we could all just “be” and sit in our connected humanity for a while…it’s a poet’s dream. 🙏
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It certainly is. But it’s good to have a dream!
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So true, Ingrid! To be and let be…why must we always want to change others to be like us?
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And to judge everyone around us and ourselves?
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Wow, that is pretty powerful! Great job!
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Thank you!
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We really do mess it up from time to time. I love the idea the just being is the key to it all! Well done!
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Thanks Dwight!
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You are welcome!
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Wow – that is clever, Ingrid. I love unexpected takes on the prompt, and this was definitely unexpected for me. I just loved it.
Yours,
David
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Thank you David! For me it seemed the obvious direction but that’s probably from all the meditation I’ve been doing…I think this prompt has provoked some very fine responses!
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Simple be..rilliant.
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Thanks Hobbo 😊
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very nice,,
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Thank you’
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It’s ever so hard to be! Cleverly illustrated Ingrid.
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Thank you 😊
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Human doings, yes, human beings no. It’s the om in every omlet!
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So true. How to be is our biggest challenge. (K)
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Oh i loved the end!!! That is so true!! 💖💖👏👏👏👏👏 Nice Ingrid!
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Thanks Cindy: I learned this from meditation as I’m sure you did too! ❤️🥰
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Live and let live. Yet bias and conflict continue to be obstacles.
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I LOVE this response to the prompt as it is exactly our dilemma. Well said.
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Thank you Sherry 🙏
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Great wisdom Ingrid that Rumi and I fully endorse!
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Why is it that even with the most tenuous grasp on who we are and what we are doing, we feel compelled to coerce others to conform to our ideas? Your poem is lovely and offers us excellent advice about just being and letting others do the same. <3 Have a great day, Ingrid!
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Well said! Great take on the prompt!
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Thank you!
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I LOVE this. <3 <3 <3
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Thank you Lucy ❤️
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Oh my gawd Ingrid, how totally true. Being here now, wholly and mindfully present, is such an impossible task. I have tried in transcendental meditation — but can’t quite get there. I looked at the daily mask dance of being human in my RTK offering to this prompt.
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Thank you Rob! I’ve had some success with meditation but I’d like to go further.
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“we cause ourselves a whole worldload of trouble
all because
we cannot simply be.”
So true! Enjoyed it!
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Thank you 🙏
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It’s so true, we’re not taught, not socialized to “just be”–there’s always something we’re “supposed” to be doing. We’re hardly allowed to sleep.
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beautifully written as always !
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Thank you 😊
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Quite profound.❤️
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Yes, it is true. Individual identities often out rank our collective sense of humanity. Learning to simply be would be an excellent addition to every junior school curricula. A little mindfulness could go a long, long way toward improving on what it is to be human.
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sounds a lot like pride to me. i know a lot about that.
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