Two Arrows

Pain enters, piercing skin

Puncturing my heartmind

Awareness heightened

In reactions to defend skin

Flee mind, shield heart

Breath of pain inside now

Sending out invitations,

Beckoning to a second arrow

Only I hold the bow

Once pierced by first arrow

How far do I pull back the string ?

To deliver the second arrow of suffering—

The story about the pain

Keeping the pain alive, larger than life

And if I release string of the bow

How long before

I pull the second arrow out?

Pain enters me, with voice of humanity

Yet suffering grows in me,

with ache of exile

May I name the pain,

preventing the shame

May I tend the wound

with my hands of sound

May I remember what I know

Belonging in the longing

Putting down the bow

**inspired by buddhist teaching of the two arrows, the “first arrow” hits with painful event, “second arrow” hits with our reaction to event, the stories we tell ourselves about it