The Guest House - Poem by Jelalludin Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks

Rumi has a great poem called "The Guest House" (I've seen multiple books and university counseling sites reference the poem as well) where he talks about letting different emotions come into your home and you entertain them no matter who or what they are. I think if you're willing to let them in, by choice, then you acknowledge them one by one.

I write poetry sometimes myself cause I tried journaling, which worked for a bit, but ended up talking about everything BUT. So it became too time consuming and OCD thing for me. If it works for you, do it. But if it doesn't, just say the words as you saying now. Or alternatively, do what I do, write poetry (ha, that's even harder, you might say!)

One of the nice things about poetry is that you use metaphors regularly. Sometimes this works both ways, like you use metaphors not to say what's on your mind but also it works the other way, in that you get closer to truth of your feelings by comparing it to things, if the actual feelings are too threatening or confusing to express in the first place.

Here's an example. I had a pretty difficult day when I went over to mom's place yesterday, had a nightmare last night and woke up today feeling extremely tense and in discomfort. Here's a poem I wrote:

I'm a bowl
to you;
only needed
when hungry,
forgotten,
when full.
I sit alone
in cupboard,
in darkness.
But I'm growing
arms and legs.
This might frighten you,
and it has frightened me,
but I think tomorrow
I might pour
hot soup, in me,
and for the first time
enjoy
from my own
warmth.