House of Excelsior

Poetic Truths by Azra ZK

Where Words Become Sanctuary…

There are some truths the heart can only speak in its own language.

Poetic Truths™ is an evolving literary art collection by Azra ZK, poet, writer and creator of Soul Poetry, published under the creative house of Excelsior 99.

Born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and raised in Australia, Azra began writing poetry at the age of twelve while living as a refugee in Syria during the Bosnian War. Her first published poem appeared in a Bosnian newspaper during those years, beginning a lifelong relationship with words as sanctuary, remembrance and meaning.

Across Europe, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand, Azra continued exploring communication, ancient history, spirituality, symbolism, nature, philosophy and the human search for meaning. For more than eleven years, her work has also explored emotional healing, botanical intelligence, spiritual science and human transformation.

Today, Poetic Truths™ exists as an exploration of the human experience through lyrical imagery, philosophical reflection, archetypes and spiritual inquiry.

Its themes move through self-worth, resilience, love, grief, identity, faith, devotion, surrender and renewal.

At the heart of the collection live the great polarities of human experience:

Love and Fear.
Faith and Doubt.
Despair and Hope.
Collapse and Renewal.
The wound and the wisdom.
The breaking and the becoming.

These poems do not attempt to erase suffering. They invite the reader to look deeper within the Soul and consider another perspective.

Can purpose emerge from pain?

Can we begin again after collapse?

Recurring archetypes and philosophies include:

Martyr & Sovereign, the movement from self-sacrifice towards self-worth, authenticity and inner authority. Two sisters live within one Soul. One gives until she is empty, believing love must be earned through sacrifice. The other rises rooted in dignity, patience and quiet authority. Their dialogue reveals the tender and necessary work of choosing oneself.

Love or Fear, an exploration of the two ancient companions carried within every human heart. Fear remembers the wound and seeks safety. Love asks the heart to remain open. Both may walk beside us, but each life is shaped by the one we allow to lead.

The Art of Return, the journey back to self after loss, silence, grief, displacement or profound change. Return is not regression. It is remembrance. The recognition that what has happened to us need not hold sole authorship over who we become.

Through these archetypes and reflections, Poetic Truths™ explores the relationship between suffering and meaning, faith and surrender, identity and remembrance, stagnation and renewal.

These philosophies later evolved into the Inside Out Renewal Method™, centred on renewal before reinvention, self-knowledge before achievement, and healing before growth.

Written predominantly in spiritual free verse, the poems move like breath and prayer. They do not chase rhyme. They follow the natural rhythm of remembrance, rising, falling, pausing and returning. Through repetition, silence and quiet anaphora, they create a space where the reader can slow down and feel what has long been waiting to be felt.

Nature becomes a living mirror. In the blood-orange light of Autumn Whispers, falling leaves reveal the ancient rhythm of descent and renewal:

Live and let die to live…
I fall…
But I always rise again.

Here, descent is not failure. It is preparation for return.

Even in the ache of love that cannot remain, these poems seek another kind of victory. They speak of “victorious sorrow”, the sacred knowing that something real need not become meaningless simply because it could not remain. Love may change form, yet what was true can still be held with dignity, gratitude and faith.

These poems do not turn away from shadow.

They walk through it with grace.

They speak of light and darkness, collapse and renewal, the longing to love and be loved, and the courage required to love ourselves. They speak of chalices emptied and refilled, altars rebuilt in quiet hours, gardens returning after winter, and velvet dawns arriving after the longest nights.

This is Soul Poetry.

It does not decorate life.

It reveals it.

And within that revelation, it seeks to offer hope, meaning, solace and remembrance.

Poetic Truths™ belongs to The Passage to Paradise, the wider artistic and spiritual philosophy that also guides Divine Apothecary by House of Excelsior.

Together, poetry and ritual become companions for the human spirit. One speaks to the Soul through words. The other through scent, touch and ceremony.

Both exist in service of the same remembrance:

to return to who you are beneath the noise, move through pain without becoming defined by it, and continue towards your own Passage to Paradise.

For those standing at thresholds.
For those who have loved deeply.
For those learning, slowly and bravely, to rise again.

Welcome to Poetic Truths™.

For Every Human Story.

For Every Heart.

For Every Season of Life.

Begin Again.

Solace

By Azra ZK

A Poem Dedicated to Compassion for Humanity

Amidst 8 billion people on Earth, there are equally 8 billion unique and valuable human stories. In the vastness of human existence, each one of us bears the wounds, scars, losses and triumphs of our unique journey, a journey that shapes us along the way, defining us into who we are today.

From my heart to yours, I invite you to set intention to beingness from a place of greater understanding, kindness, love and compassion, for ourselves, those we know, as well as those we are yet to meet. We are all navigating life's complexities… not divided by our differences but united and connected by a golden thread… our shared humanity.

This poem is an ode to divine resilience, inspired by the profound words of an incredible and humble human, woven into my own reflections. My sincere wish is that these words may offer solace and hope, and inspire brighter days.

Solace

On a young summer's day,
Amid a gentle breeze,
In the presence,
Of a perfect gathering,
A humble soul,
A bearer of light,
Unveiled a rare insight…
And with it, our eyes teared up,
In awe and delight.

Notes captured in my mind,
As his words of wisdom took flight,
Elevating us to greater heights,
In faculties of soul and mind.

A lesson engraved,
Comforting in these days,
Of suffering and pain,
Amongst polarities,
Where eight billion souls dwell,
And their destinies are paved.

Guilt and shame,
Those two thieves,
Steal our faith and hope,
Wisdom, their cousin,
Walks hand in hand,
Like a sailing ship on the sea,
Gently fading away.

Untamed thieves,
Diminish the harmonious band,
Their deceitful grip,
Imprisons us in darkness,
Helpless and bereaved.

We are all travellers,
On this magnificent Earth plain,
Yet, God is Grand,
A limitless source,
Our lifeline connected,
To each living day.

In the spirit of the Odyssey,
Where heroes reign,
Odysseus, with courage and might,
Navigates the seas,
Embracing the fight,
Teaching us that nothing stays,
And everything flows,
And the journey itself…
Is a reward.

In the fairest truth,
Where all souls unite,
We are born to live,
On an Odyssey through time,
And return home,
On our last journey,
To the eternal divine.

In life's script,
May love be our compass,
For LOVE… is indeed,
The highest intelligence above all,
Igniting a future full of promise,
Where darkness and judgment dissolve.

Adversity…
Our cruelty disguised companion,
The greatest sculptor of humanity,
Tirelessly… moulding its clay.
In its crucible,
Characters discover,
Resolve, Purpose,
And their Service to this world,
But most of all,
Their Courage and Growth.

Stand tall, show up,
Play your best part,
On the mysterious stage,
Of a miracle called life.

Let the symphony of existence play,
Forgive to be forgiven,
Love a little more,
Be and stay True,
Start with… You.

Dwell in the living sun,
Of Faith and Hope,
Let their essence expand.
Witness and rejoice as thieves,
Guilt and shame,
Pack their suitcase,
Confined to their destined claim.

So, let's dance to life's sweet melody,
Where echoes of love and compassion flow,
For in Faith and Hope solely,
Our spirits renew and grow.

Gaining strength,
To keep moving forward,
And… to Endure.

With faith and hope in our stride,
Dear friends, let's honour life,
For all it bestows,
With a transformed perspective,
When adversity calls,
Brighter days…
Will once more be born,
For each of us,
With every… New Dawn.

Prayer

By Azra ZK

In times of hardship, grief or reflection, there are moments when only a whispered prayer can bring peace to the heart. Written as a collective call to the Divine, on behalf of all who are in pain, lost, grieving, or searching, this poem is both personal and universal.

A gentle reminder that, in stillness, we can return to faith, and in surrender, we may find grace. Through each verse, Prayer asks for hope, healing, compassion and forgiveness, not only from the Creator, but from within ourselves and each other. It invites us to honour the sacred, to remember we are all imperfect but divinely connected.

Prayer

Dearly Beloved,
The Most Exalted,
Right this moment,
Many of Your children
Are lost in pain and despair…
Isolated, scared, lonely, or sad,
In war, without shelter or food,
Betrayed, abandoned, unwell,
Amongst all rights and wrongs,
Let us pray…

To You,
Beloved Creator,
We turn for hope,
Please give us strength
To find solace in faith,
Not only in patience,
But in the healing silence of prayer,
Through difficult nights and days.

The All-Forgiving,
We ask You to forgive us,
So why can we not forgive
Ourselves and others?
Please give us strength to forgive,
For we are all right and wrong,
Beautifully imperfect,
All but You!

The All-Hearing,
The Benevolent,
Let us be mindful
Of our actions and words,
To be better and not bitter,
For if we go against
One of our own,
We go against You and us all.

You, The Omnipotent,
The All-Knowing of secrets,
Wishes and the sorrow
Of every beating heart,
We ask that our hearts not break,
But in faith,
Break through dark times.

The Most Merciful,
Let the light of Your mercy
Enter our wounds to heal us,
Help us pardon, to be pardoned,
Let us be content with less not more,
Help us do right after wrong.

The Most Exalted,
Open the right way,
As You only can.
Out of adversity,
Bring peace from pain,
Ignite hope from despair.

The All-Seeing,
There is no strength
But the one found in Your protection,
May all negative things,
Known and unknown,
Seen and unseen,
Heard or unheard,
Be washed away so that
Our hearts may return to purity,
Faithful, in Your name.

The Everlasting One,
When we give the world our very best,
Yet life still puts us to the test,
In You, All-Knowing, we find rest.
Let us not be discouraged or regress,
Nor cease to give or be our best.
Honour us to become Your vessel,
To serve with purpose and love.

The All-Compassionate,
It gets darkest before the dawn,
The joy, pain and life shall pass us all,
For now, let us sleep softly,
May our souls rest and tears dry,
Nothing separates us
From Your love…
The Love of God.

Martyr & Sovereign

By Azra ZK

Opening as a modern fable, this poem is a psychological portrait of the two opposing forces that live within every human being. The Martyr represents the part of us that over-compromises, romanticises suffering, and sacrificing self-worth in the hope of being loved, a candle slowly burning, her optimism charming yet blind.

The Sovereign is her antidote, rooted like an ancient tree, draped in foresight and patience, with no chains upon her wrists, her altar a river of truth flowing with dignity and grace. Both sisters are fools in love, but where the Martyr seeks salvation through others, the Sovereign knows her own worth.

This poem functions as a mirror, inviting the reader to recognise where they are living as the Martyr, and to step, with courage and compassion, into their Sovereign.

Martyr & Sovereign

Once upon a time,
In one soul dwelled two sisters;
Martyr and Sovereign.
Both brilliant in purpose,
Different in kind,
Two soul rulers yet one crown.

At the crossroads of life,
Divine fate bestowed,
A journey to be told,
Destination unknown.

Martyr wore silk gowns
Of fortitude and sorrow,
Adorned with pearls of devotion.
A tender queen of melancholy,
She emptied her soul's chalice,
Her sacrifice, a holy water
Turned to bitter wine.

She sold pride for hope,
Her altar, a treasure box
Of memories and dreams,
A lonely masquerade,
Lost in the crowd.
A candle slowly burning,
To prove she was eternal light,
Her optimism charming yet blind.

Sovereign was draped in robes
Of foresight and patience,
No chains adorned her wrists.
Strength anchored in faith,
Spirit ignited with courage and pride.

Her altar, a river of truth,
Flowing with dignity and grace,
Candour and curiosity
Her playground,
Firmly rooted in earth,
Like an ancient, wise tree,
Her branches danced with
Hope in perfect storms,
Radiant in all seasons of living joy.

Both sisters were fools in love,
Martyr's love was a quest
For salvation,
A sweet ache that bled softly,
Wrapped in unrequited devotion,
A longing to be loved.

Sovereign's love was
The effortless art of desire,
Born of remembrance,
A hopeless romantic,
In Love with Love.

One day, the soul grew tired
Of two rulers warring within,
For only one could sit
Upon the throne of her light.

A victor, not a victim,
Soul gathered her strength, cradled Martyr's weary face and whispered:

"Rest now, beloved Martyr,
Your sacrifice is boundless,
Sleep softly…
You had given enough."

Then she turned to Sovereign
And declared her resolve:

"choices we make
Lead the life we live,
Wake now, beloved Sovereign,
Don't you know it is time
You may know your true worth?
The sun is rising on your face,
Lead me home, child of God."

Sovereign rose from
A shadow of doubt,
Fierce but kind,
She gently kissed
Martyr's forehead goodbye,
Bows to the soul and said:

"The duty of honour is mine…
God is always on time."

Resplendent in her might,
Sovereign stepped forward
Into majestic, sun-kissed light,
And never looked back…o

Rose of Life

By Azra ZK

An allegorical spiritual poem that explores how pain and beauty coexist as part of the human experience. Using the metaphor of a rose growing in God's majestic garden, Rose of Life delivers a message about emotional resilience, boundaries, and divine creation.

The poem divides the nature of a rose into two distinct parts, the petals, representing vulnerability, love, and the gentle parts of human nature; and the thorns, reframed not as flaws but as essential guardians of the soul. True strength does not mean being free of wounds. It means having the courage to remain open while being protected. A complete and beautiful life requires the balance of both soft love and fierce boundaries, the rose and her thorns, inseparable and whole.

Rose of Life

In God's majestic garden,
A perfect creation blooms,
A symbol of love,
They call her a rose,
Her petals are soft as a summer's sigh,
And fragrance divine that lingers day and night,
Her presence comforts and enchants,
Like a heavenly long-awaited hug.

A beauty of rose,
A marvel, beyond compare,
Each moment of every day,
Her splendour delights,
Capturing the eyes of each beholder she charmingly sights.

Yet within rose's grace,
A story unfolds,
Her true essence is in her thorns,
Precious and bold,
They guard her beauty,
And shield her soul,
In their service,
A secret of life is told.

For within her thorns,
Strength resides,
Blood too can be shed,
A source of hurt and armour from harm,
Where courage abides.

In the garden of life,
God's masterpiece shines,
In every wound, beauty and pain,
Together reside.

So let it be what it needs to be,
It is so wrong it is right,
Let us honour the paradox of life,
Embracing equally a rose and her thorns,
For in their union, life is adorned.

Through the melody of a perfect storm,
In the journey we walk alone,
Thorns and roses intertwine,
Where both dark and light
shadows are at fair play,
We can find the beauty of life…
In trials we bear.

Guest of Honour

By Azra ZK

A heartfelt introspection of acceptance and surrender to the flow of the miracle of life, and the nuances of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Written to capture the essence of self-discovery and to invite a journey of resonance with hope, this poem is a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit and the power we all hold to live mindfully in the present.

Not in what was, nor in what will be, but in what we have now, and what we can create and appreciate in this very moment. Each living day arrives at your doorstep as a Guest of Honour. The question is whether you will open the door.

Guest of Honour

Hello…
Do you see me?
I am standing here and now,
In watercolours of the fresh rain,
Amidst the cosmic flow,
A paradox in gentle breeze,
A traveller in divine dreams,
Tall, yet on bended knees.

In life's grand show performance,
I seek my path, I take my vow,
Like waterfalls' gentle flow,
Seeking a river home,
In God's mercy bestowed,
To find freedom's sweet parole.

On a delicate thread of time,
With pride I adorn,
My attire of scars,
Each pearl of tear and joy,
A tender union of
Victories and defeats,
In every seam,
A memory's hold,
Of the journey taken,
Uncertain yet bold.

As the night falls,
Beneath a canopy of stars,
A brave heart gazes to the sky,
Can't you hear the whistling wind whisper, 'I am still alive'?
Not in yesterday's or tomorrow's,
Not in fear or shattered dreams,
Unworthy of your splendid soul,
And with it, a promise is born,
Not to be robbed of another sunset
Or a break of dawn.

My dear beloved,
Should you accept with grace,
A treasure beyond measure,
Where all human hearts meet,
In the dance of time,
Destiny and feat,
A 'Guest of Honour',
In life's majestic ode,
Each living day,
Arrives at your doorstep,
In its resplendent robe,
Calling you to reason,
To awaken and be reborn.

Whilst you wait for the right time,
For you, time shall not wait,
Open the guarded steel gates,
Serve the 'Guest of Honour'
As any eloquent host would,
With your very best
Wine and feast,
For life's journey is defined
By the magnificence
Of each living second,
In human blindness, it fleets.

Beneath the everlasting sun,
In the beginning and the end,
A sacred heartbeat of 'All of Life'
In all its glory silently resides,
A 'Guest of Honour'
In its innocent yet simple truth
Namely 'The Gift of Now',
In delight of its sweet embrace,
Dearly beloved, you will find…
Our journey has just begun.

Poetic Truths™