Monk(ey) Mind

I realize my monkey mind does not serve me; change is key

I realize my monkey mind does not serve me; change is key

Swing from tree to tree no more, I tame my restless energy

Swing from tree to tree no more, I tame my restless energy

Change is key, I realize; I swing from tree to tree no more

Tame my restless energy; my monkey mind does not serve me

~

Return to center, my roots, erasing e and y from monkey

Return to center, my roots, erasing e and y from monkey

Monk converted equals self-compassion, releasing my ego

Monk converted equals self-compassion, releasing my ego

Erasing e and y from monkey equals monk converted roots

Releasing my ego, my return to center, self-compassion

~

Focused breath work grows a mindful, peaceful existence

Focused breath work grows a mindful, peaceful existence

Inner critic silences, not a perplexing enigma; resurgence

Inner critic silences, not a perplexing enigma; resurgence

Not a perplexing enigma, resurgence silences inner critic

A peaceful, mindful existence grows focused breath work

~

I converted to monk, erasing e and y from monk(ey)

Key change: self-compassion, releasing my ego

Focused breath work equals my tame restless energy

"Swing no more from tree to tree" is not a perplexing enigma

My center return: I realize peaceful roots, a mindful existence grows

Resurgence: my inner critic silences; monkey mind does not serve me

~

Author's note: For this challenge, I used the Paradelle poem. Formatted correctly, line one is the same as line two, line three is the same as four, and lines five and six comprise only the words from lines one and three.

This pattern repeats in stanzas two and three.

Stanza four comprises only the words from the fifth and sixth lines of each of the previous stanzas.

A tricky poetry technique, but a fun exercise in strategic rephrasing

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