Tag: The Daily Stoic

Always – 2nd February 2026

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

hall
ways to the vanishing
point me the way forward,
let me out!
trapped!
this nightmare never ends;
it starts over again.

A corridor poem about a corridor. A form invented by Lesley Scoble here, and a syllable count of 1,6,6,3,1,6,6.

Today’s Daily Stoic poem:

A Proper Frame Of Mind

Impulses no longer pull my strings
No longer having to argue all the things
That self-control, happiness brings
Independent, self-sufficiency sings

Not My Beach – 29th January 2026

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 5 Comments

Pixels, faith, dust

Beaches I will never swim,
blue and bright;
Mock me with your gourmet food
under the moonlight.

You thrust a quiet knife in
with each sunset post;
As I eat my thinning stew
with old dry toast.

Share if you must

Shared with dVerse Quadrille #240 – trip. I didn’t use the word ‘trip’ in this, but ‘sunset’ could be easily replaced with ‘trip’s’. I prefer it this way, though. This poem is a reference to complaints about people posting their holiday photos online without regard for how that might affect others. I personally don’t know how I feel about this either way but that could be because I have been in a position to be able to experience beautiful beaches and gourmet food.

Today’s Daily Stoic poem:

Keep It Simple

Everything can be as simple as said
This problem may be your last
The complexities are all in your head
How soon it has all passed

“I Don’t Know” – 28th January 2026

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

The poet does not look at the moon
but at its reflection upon the water.
The poet will borrow your eyes,

and you will borrow their words
and, as they move from understanding
into knowledge,
they become a lie

Reading of all the poets’ love
that you have never known;
a reflection upon reflection.

Do not be afraid to say,
‘I don’t know.’

Everyone has a place they need to go,
revealed without words.

More Osho-inspired writing.

Today’s Daily Stoic poem:

Watching The Wise

Are we models of inspiration?
Are others asking you to advise?
So when dealing with frustration,
Will anyone call us wise?

The Kindling – 27th January 2026

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

The conversation you didn’t have
inconsequential in isolation.

Just another one for the road
or as a quiet consolation.

The small resentments came
after contributions, half-hearted.

“What’s the worst that could happen?”
was the kindling where it started.

Inspired by another David Elikwu article from The Knowledge newsletter.

The Daily Stoic poem:

The Three Areas Of Training

Our judgment affects our desires
Desires affect our deeds
And a clear composure inspires
The energy to meet our needs

Quiet Joys – 24th January 2026

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 6 Comments

An ambulance was called to the library
and the children all ushered out
After Ms Lee collapsed while reading
The incident, recalled without doubt

“Did the monster get the lady, mum?”
questioned Eli, who had covered his eyes
Ms Lee’s voice was nice but even at age 4
Eli knew that there would be a surprise

Marie was the new library volunteer
And just passed her course on CPR
Jumping up and checking for a pulse
In her story, she became the star

Bobby, Ms Lee’s son, was called
And he felt guilty at his selfish thoughts
He struggled to drive to the hospital
Obviously feeling out of sorts

Old Mrs Gupta had been in the M to N’s
when she emerged to all the commotion
She saw the event as a rehearsal
as it unfolded in slow motion

Ms Lee herself looked to the frightened faces
the sounds and light began to fade
As everything softened and became pale
She recalled all the quiet joys she had made

Written for Reena’s Xploration prompt #414, expanding on this prompt idea:
 A novelist creates a story told by five narrators, each contradicting the others.

Today’s Daily Stoic poem:

Push For Deep Understanding

The first page is not enough,
leaving understanding rough;
For the lesson to remain a keeper,
You gotta go deeper and deeper.

Small Trinkets – 23rd January 2026

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 30 Comments

I held onto them for a while
reminding me of why
you left
I kept those small trinkets on file,
lost in a constant sigh,
bereft

Left with all that belongs to me,
to focus on caring,
and how
nothing compares to memories
of what we were sharing
’til now

Shared with W3 #195 – memento poem

Today’s Daily Stoic poem:

The Truth About Money

Confusion reigns in search of possession
Herein lies an important lesson
The external doesn’t fix what’s inside
Let good judgment be your guide

It Won’t Be Long – 22nd January 2026

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 11 Comments

Shared with Tanka Tuesday following the poem “Appellate Jurisdiction,” where Marianne Moore uses a pattern of 9-syllable lines and a 4-syllable refrain.

Stories did their work for the future
The world, still deciding what to keep

Before was long


Lounging, ankles crossed, watching the clouds
Translating sunlight into stillness

The days are long


Adrenaline of whiskey shortcuts
Dawn is held off by sheer momentum

The nights are long


The future shrinks, the past multiplies
The scenes replayed all out of order

Life is so long


Whether it is silence or in song
Meaning will redistribute itself

After is long

Today’s Daily Stoic poem:

The Day In Review

What did you think and what did you do
Each day, put it all up for review
Things that were good, things that were bad
All that made you happy, all that made you sad