The Art of Letting Go

It’s more than just saying goodbye to things
It’s breaking free from overwhelming desire
It’s relinquishing the constant yearning for more
It’s discovering the secluded shelter within yourself
It’s finding that place of complete acceptance and joy
It’s noticing the room of requirement within your soul
It’s spotting the harbor of hope that gives you courage
It’s unveiling the secret shelter where only you can dwell
It’s going inward to that realm of divine peace and love
It’s exploring the newfound sanctuary within your heart
It’s knowing that you are enough beyond all else
It’s learning to live without the rest of the world

© 2025 Michelle Cook


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More of me and you

He could always inspire me
no matter time or day
Like two peas in a pod
we’d finish what each would say

But the difference was
he could never love me like you
He only really wanted
to tell me what to do

I felt guilty when I wouldn’t
ashamed for who I was
Becoming very lonely
all just because

And I realized what I was doing
I wasn’t living for myself
I was trying to give someone
what they couldn’t give themself

Those years were difficult to weather
so glad they eventually blew
In the end I found what I needed
more of me and you

© 2025 Michelle Cook


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Wilted

Wilted, that’s how I feel,
a flower that’ll never bloom again.
My petals droop and die,
fluttering to the ground one by one;
will I ever be restored?

I’m going through this phase;
maybe someone can relate.
Emptiness encases me
like a thick woolen glove.

I’m trying to escape the feeling
of being smothered and surrounded
by all that has invaded my insides
over these past fifty-some years.

Is it too much to ask
to be able to understand myself?

© 2025 Michelle Cook

*These were some personal sentiments I found when reading through my journal over this past year. I think I’m much closer to understanding myself now, but there are days when the weight of this world still closes in on me and reminds me of all the things I wish I could change. I’m happy that I never stay stuck in my head for long, and I generally snap back after a few days of wallowing in self-pity. I’m continuing to look for ways to keep a positive outlook on life. Nobody wants to be droopy forever. 😉


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Beyond repair

There are some things
that can never be mended;
even as much as you try,
the result remains upended.

And I’ve learned it is better
to let sleeping dogs lay
than to stick around waiting
for the needle to sway.

There’s a balance to life
that just can’t be amended,
but sometimes these truths
are miscomprehended.

So I’m doing my best
to remember all these things
and trying not to fret
over things I cannot change.

© 2022 Michelle Cook


Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/piano-rose-red-flower-love-571968/