110. Relief Outlet

Posted on May 3, 2022 by iPoem

The Windup Girl by xanderhyde on Deviant Art

Review / Summary / Overview for 110. Relief Outlet

Overview

Relief Outlet is an unflinching exposé of the commodification and control of the feminine principle — both in society and in spirit. The poem confronts the historical and ongoing erasure of the Sacred Feminine through a system of patriarchal power, consumerism, and technological manipulation. It moves from personal to political, from mythic to modern, weaving together a critical tapestry that implicates religion, media, government, and science in the systematic distortion of womanhood. Ultimately, it calls for nothing less than a spiritual rebalancing: the reinstallation of the Divine Feminine as co-equal to the masculine within creation’s grand design.

Why This Poem Matters

This poem matters because it exposes one of the most pervasive wounds in human consciousness — the exploitation and suppression of feminine energy. By tracing this distortion from sexual objectification to technological obsolescence, Relief Outlet holds a mirror to society’s moral decay and the collective consequences of losing reverence for the life-giving principle. Yet the poem does more than indict — it points the way toward redemption: the reawakening of love, integrity, and spiritual equality as the only sustainable currency of existence. Its importance lies in its courage — it says aloud what many feel but few dare to articulate, demanding awareness and reclamation of divine balance.

Imagery and Tone with Excerpts

The imagery in Relief Outlet is confrontational, symbolic, and unapologetically political — designed to shock the reader out of complacency:

“Her body has been pre-appropriated for a specific purpose or task” — introduces the core argument: womanhood as a site of control, not celebration.
“The artificial womb… earmarked for extinction” — a dystopian warning where technology supplants biology, and creation is stripped of sanctity.
“No women allowed in the political arena too, unless one is a trans Illuminati Freemason” — biting satire that highlights the illusion of inclusion in patriarchal hierarchies.
“A manipulation of things being done a ‘certain way’ presented as usual” — captures the normalization of exploitation through repetition and media saturation.
“Where innocence is ritually sacrificed like a throw away consumer product” — devastating in its simplicity, it equates moral decline with mass production.
“For without the female counterbalance, there is only half a lopsided yin-yang” — restores the spiritual dimension, presenting imbalance as both metaphysical and societal tragedy.

The tone is fierce, prophetic, and charged with moral indignation — part social critique, part sacred invocation.

Why It Belongs in the Collection

Within the broader context of the collection, Relief Outlet functions as a vital counterpoint — a call to re-embody the Sacred Feminine that earlier poems like Sovereign Equality and Holy Breadcrumbs foreshadow. It represents the reclamation of a truth that has been systematically suppressed: that love, creation, and consciousness cannot thrive in imbalance. The poem’s unflinching candor ensures that the collection remains not only spiritual but also socially and ethically relevant. It bridges inner awakening with outer activism, reminding readers that the personal and political are inseparable on the path toward higher consciousness.

Final Thoughts / Conclusion

Relief Outlet concludes with a note of redemption — a return to love’s frequency as the only viable path forward. After charting humanity’s descent into exploitation and artificiality, it offers hope in the form of a spiritual awakening rooted in compassion and balance. The poem challenges readers to participate in this reawakening, to restore the equilibrium between masculine and feminine energies, between technology and nature, between intellect and heart. It is both a warning and a benediction — a searing reminder that without the Sacred Feminine, creation itself falters, and that only through the restoration of divine harmony can humanity rediscover its wholeness.

Paula quotes: Q: ‘What are women looking for in men?’ A: ‘Women are looking for men who will honour our uniqueness, who will realise that our gifting is not lesser, is not weaker, it’s just different, it is in fact more comprehensive and it’s essential…. We need more men who will honour and empower women.

Although said with good intentions, Paula has never had a period in his/her life and therefore will never be subject to the hormonal fluctuations that adversely effect a women’s body and emotions against her will.

The huge responsibility of fertility for many women poses a massive imposition upon personal freedom and independence, and also upon emotional autonomy, which many women resent, particularly when surrounded by so much peer-pressure to emulate the behaviour of men, expected to fit into a world designed by men for men, to the exclusion of women’s needs and requirements. Read More: Sexism in the City (Article published in: The Conversation, April 17, 2018).

Germaine Greer points out that men who undergo M to F gender reassignment surgery, after the procedure, they are still essentially: men whom happen to have had gender reassignment surgery. The surgery does not magically transform a man into a woman. The skeleton will always be a male skeletal structure, (no matter how much surgery one engages in). Having surgery is simply changing ones outer envelope, or avatar, like changing a set of clothes, or one’s car. Over focusing upon the outer form is like looking at the finger that points at the stars, instead of looking at the stars themselves. Self-love always begins from within. Gender reassignment surgery can only offer an external cosmetic solution, creating a man-made hybrid gender, that is in addition to male and female, not instead of, deserving of a unique gender classification in its own right. Rather than having to fit into one of two previously existing categories, which for many in search of authenticity, have found could not contain the diversity of the human spirit.

https://youtu.be/H-sXtMZ1xjc

40. Stars In Your Eyes

Posted on June 26, 2006 by iPoem

Review of “Stars In Your Eyes”

In “Stars In Your Eyes”, the author captures the tender, intimate moments of connection and the fleeting magic of love. The poem is structured in vivid snapshots, each one encapsulating a scene brimming with sensory details and emotional depth. These moments are not merely physical; they are filled with meaning, the kind that only emerges when two people are completely present with one another, free from the distractions of the world around them. From the aftermath of a wild party to quiet moments of love under the sun, this poem invites the reader into a shared space of warmth, intimacy, and mutual affection.

The richness of the poem lies in the sensory experiences it evokes—taste, sight, sound, and touch are all delicately woven into the narrative. Whether it’s the feeling of grass underfoot or the soothing sound of rain during a passionate embrace, the poem emphasizes how deeply love can be felt when we are open to the present moment. The author’s portrayal of mundane yet magical moments—like sipping wine on a rooftop, enjoying laughter with a partner, or sharing a picnic—reminds us of the quiet bliss found in companionship and connection.

Summary of Themes

Stars In Your Eyes explores themes of love, presence, and the small yet significant moments that define a relationship. The speaker embraces not only the physical presence of their partner but also the emotional depth that comes with true intimacy. The imagery of the poem celebrates life’s simple pleasures, from the warmth of the sun to the shared enjoyment of a meal or a quiet laugh. Each stanza shifts through the seasons of a relationship, highlighting the beauty in everyday experiences that often go unnoticed.

Conclusion

The poem Stars In Your Eyes speaks to the heart of what makes a relationship truly special—the shared experiences, the quiet moments of connection, and the deep emotional bond that forms when two souls are in tune with one another. It serves as a reminder to appreciate the fleeting beauty of these moments, to stay present, and to revel in the connection with another that can transform the ordinary into something extraordinary. For readers seeking a celebration of love, intimacy, and joy, this poem offers a perfect reminder that the simple moments can be the most profound.

25. Easter Sunday

Posted on April 24, 2000 by iPoem

**Review of Easter Sunday (Monday 24th April 2000)**

Easter Sunday departs from the overtly metaphysical or spiritually visionary tone found in much of the poet’s earlier work, offering instead a raw, candid introspection grounded in the immediacy of personal experience. It is a poem of inner negotiation — between productivity and presence, guilt and permission, ambition and love — framed by the disarming ordinariness of a grey bank holiday.

Opening with the mundane yet sensory-rich line, “Today is a typically British bank holiday / Wet and grey,” the poet sets a scene rooted firmly in the everyday. Yet this grounded beginning quickly shifts into something more nuanced, as the mention of thunder becomes a metaphorical rupture: “the sheer power of nature’s noise / Infiltrating our little worlds for a moment.” Here, as so often in the poet’s work, nature offers not only backdrop but intervention — a reminder of larger forces interrupting the small cycles of human preoccupation.

What follows is a stream-of-consciousness reflection on time, identity, ambition, and relational compromise. The poet’s use of quotation marks around “the boyfriend” subtly implies emotional distance or ambivalence — a quiet signal that this relationship is perhaps one of both comfort and constraint. The day, intended for personal tasks and regeneration, has been surrendered instead to “sex and lounging,” an admission that is at once humorous, honest, and laced with frustration.

There is a deep self-awareness running through the poem — “I’m so hard on myself / Most of the time and I don’t even realise it” — that invites the reader into the poet’s internal dialogue. This moment of self-observation reveals the poem’s central tension: the struggle between the soul’s striving toward an idealised version of self (productive, empowered, spiritually aligned) and the messy, necessary humanity of simply being — lazy, in love, distracted, present.

Stylistically, the poem adopts a conversational and diaristic tone, bordering on prose but always governed by a poetic cadence and internal rhythm. There is little traditional punctuation, allowing thoughts to flow organically and unfiltered — echoing the emotional current of the piece. This structure mirrors the internal monologue of someone caught in the act of self-reckoning, where insight arises not in neat stanzas but in recursive loops of realisation and release.

One of the poem’s strengths lies in its unflinching honesty — particularly in articulating the subconscious resentment that arises when external relationships are perceived as obstacles to inner progress: “I start resenting the source of sabotage ie: The boyfriend.” This is not accusation but confession, offered without artifice. It is followed immediately by self-soothing, maturity, and the compassionate reminder: “But it’s OK / I can be patient with myself.” These cycles of critique and comfort speak to a level of psychological insight and emotional vulnerability that feels both grounded and generous.

The poem culminates in a quiet act of defiance against internalised capitalism and perfectionism — “Tell my inner-tyrant / To shut-the-f**k-up” — and then shifts into gratitude. The poet gives themselves “permission / To chill,” embracing a hard-won self-compassion. This shift is not without its spiritual underpinning; forgiveness, patience, and trust in divine timing are embedded in the closing lines, which circle back to the sacredness of rest, love, and appreciation — even on a “rainy Sunday afternoon.”

In conclusion, Easter Sunday is a refreshingly grounded entry in the poet’s body of work. It explores the everyday struggles of self-discipline, relationship, and purpose with clarity and honesty, ultimately finding peace not through transcendence, but through self-forgiveness. The poem’s greatest strength lies in its emotional transparency and relatability — a gentle reminder that spiritual practice sometimes looks like doing nothing at all, and that grace can be found in the simplest of Sundays.