“Poetic Perspective” and “Hugs”

Two Poems

By Judith Marsden

Judith Marsden is a member of The Mystery School, an online community of inspired individuals dedicated to spiritual transformation and mutual evolution, and who make many contributions to this magazine.

Judith reads “Poetic Perspective” and “Hugs”

Poetic Perspective
Is it a crime,
To write poems that rhyme?
Or is there contempt,
For the limerick’s attempt?

To offer words in a way,
That have something to say.
Words with deep meaning,
Emotionally leaning.

I find poems of tradition,
Require submission.
A need to be keen,
To understand what they mean.

Through word dissection,
And phrasing reflection.
I often find,
My mind in a bind.

It has therefore come to light,
That I should honor my plight.
Preferring entertainment,
Through word rearrangement.

By creating rhythmical fun,
In a poem much like this one.
Keeps me smiling and joyful,
And childishly playful.

Yes, poetry can be transformative,
Powerfully evocative.
Because even in simplicity,
There lies a piece of divinity.

Hugs
It’s wondrous what a hug can do.
A hug can cheer you when you’re blue.
A hug can say, ‘I love you so’
Or ‘Gee I hate to see you go’.

A hug can soothe a small child’s pain
And bring a rainbow after rain.
The hug! There’s just no doubt about it,
We scarcely could survive without it

A hug delights and warms and charms,
It must be why God gave us arms.

Hugs are great for Fathers and Mothers,
Sweet for sisters, swell for Brothers.
Chances are some favorite Aunts
Love them more than potted plants.

Kittens crave them. Puppies love them.
Heads of State are not above them.
A hug can break the language barrier
And make the dullest day seem merrier.

No need to fret about the store of them.
The more you give the more there are of them.
So, stretch those arms without delay, and
Give someone a hug today!

About Judith's Poetry

Many years ago, I came across a poem entitled Hugs. It struck me as both playful and surprisingly profound, gently reshaping the way I thought about what a hug really is, how often I give and receive them, and the different kinds I experience.

Over time, I came to recognize three distinct types of hugs: the Liver-hug, the Ugh-hug, and the Heart-hug.

The Liver-hug is by far the most common. It occurs when both people press their right rib cages together. I’ve named it after the liver, which sits behind the right rib cage. As the liver is the body’s detoxification organ, our internal cleaner, filtering out impurities, I can’t help but feel that this hug carries a certain lack of authenticity, as though one or both people are unconsciously holding the other at a distance.

That sense of distance becomes even more apparent when one person subtly leans away, curving their body, sticking their butt out, and making contact only with their arms and right ribs. I like to call this the “If-I-must Liver-hug.”

And when both participants adopt this half-hearted stance, it begs the question of why they are hugging at all. This becomes the “Why-bother hug”, a gesture in form, but not in feeling.

Then there is the Ugh-hug, which needs little explanation. It’s the sort of embrace that feels uncomfortable or misplaced, prompting you to pull away as quickly as possible.

That said, if both individuals willingly lean into this style of closeness, it takes on an entirely different character, what I jokingly refer to as the “Oo-la-la hug,” perhaps best saved for more private moments!

The Heart-hug, however, is my favorite. It is the least common, yet the most genuine. In this embrace, both people naturally press their left sides together, aligning heart to heart. I named it accordingly, as the heart resides behind the left rib cage.

Interestingly, the human heart generates an electromagnetic field that extends several feet beyond the body and is far stronger than that of the brain. While this may be more poetic than scientific in this context, I like to think that when two people share a Heart-hug, they are truly connecting, not just physically, but energetically.

It is this exchange, this deeper sense of connection, that I believe the Hugs poem was really expressing.

Judith Marsden

Judith Marsden is an integrated movement science practitioner, life mastery coach, functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner, meditation teacher, Tarot reader and soul speak guide. Judith believes that true health is a matter of balance, which must include an awakened wisdom of our physical, subtle and causal bodies. Judith’s programs have consistently transformed the lives of her clients, who come to her with all manner of health complaints, only to experience deep emotional and physical healing along with a renewed sense of being and an increased joy for life. Her belief that there is no one-fit-program that can possibly work for everyone allows for a think outside the box approach. And taking into consideration her clients varying problems, circumstances, backgrounds, beliefs, nutritional and movement requirements acknowledges that there must be the application and teaching of universal principles and awakened wisdom for what each client needs personally. As a mystic, Judith enjoys sharing her experiences of the subtle realms through the creative impulse. When not at work she is often singing, dancing, writing and painting. Judith’s overarching dream is to help as many people as possible reach their health potential so that we may become a healthier whole in a healthier world.