Who Is This Man

facing myself

looking at him

was immediately unsettling

his eyes were pleading

for me to turn away,

but i couldn't

i've seen him---

his face

many times before

but never like this...

looking this long

somehow--- was killing him

the strength i've seen in him

countless times before

was fading

his warrior stance... buckling

flesh began to replace armor

oblivious perfection gave birth to flaws

those eyes, continued to beg me

to find another direction---

i could not

as i looked into him,

or he into me...

his struggle was revealing itself

slowly explaining

why this perspective is so scary---

guiding me down a long twisted road

we pass many broken things

light and heat become less and less present

he demands i look away---

i don't

i continue to walk the path

stumbling over the clutter as i do

just as i think i've arrived

to the point of total blackness

the light remains ghostly faint---

amid the rubble, close to the ground...

something moves

he tells me to look away,

i tell him... i can't

pushing my way through the chaos

reaching out, i find---

a boy... all alone

and for some reason frantically building

he was covered in scars

looking at them---

those scars... made me weep for him

flashes of forgotten pain

crash down on me...

shock slams my eyes shut

but keep them closed--- i can't do

i open them to find the boy

still building

so i ask the obvious...

what are you building?

the boy replies, you

i say, you can't be

he says to me...

open your eyes

(thick denials shatter)

and his scars... become my scars

the clutter he is so desperately building with

is what i am---

a mess... pieced together

by a damaged little boy

with an aversion to light and heat

but a knack for surviving---

i look to my guide

and he looks to me,

i sift through the clutter

and begin replacing his armor

because now i can see...

that it was i

who built him

 

 

Author's Note

A very emotional write for me... sorry if it is choatic. This is my second time reading this(as i posted it), and my first time editing it. I hope it translates well to all who read it. Thank you... your thoughts are welcomed.

Reviews

[Bowers]

This is incredible, you have a wonderful way with words, my friend, that I envy and greatly admire. This poem conveys great strength, and power, A reflection of self, is a hard thing to grasp more often then not, and you've written such a great piece, that is filled with amazing ideas, this is one of the best I've read on this site! great write!

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

I can't express my gratitude for your amazing thoughts on this piece. I don't visit it very much, so words such as yours are truly a gift.

[Bowers]

you are very welcome!

[Joyce S. Greene]

This is fantastic poetry. I bow to your talent, my friend. Such a strong, poignant poem. Tragic and yet that small boy built a very smart man who has survival in his blood.

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

Wow, I have no words for your thoughts on this piece. I thank you for such a grand gesture, my pen hand is humbled beyond measure.

[Joyce S. Greene]

Not a gesture at all! I meant every syllable of my comment. I felt your poem in my bones. Do you have a nickname or pen name I can call you? I feel uncomfortable not being able to use someone's name in my reviews.

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

My name is, Travis. I don't know what to say that it affected you so deeply, its a piece I don't visit often. Its moments like this that gives it life, thank you.

[shallimarRose]

The path you were on was your own and the man was the man in the mirror when you finally moved past him you found the little boy alone trying desperately to be remembered and to allow yourself to become whole. That is what I grasp from this piece. I had a dream once and when I awoke I knew something in me had joined. I had met the child that was once me before the scars of rape marred my life forever...
Sometime if you like I will reveal that story to you.

Stellar piece here.. I know this was very emotional for you to write but I want you to know it was emotional for me to read as well. xo shallimarRose

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

You are spot on... this was very difficult to write. If you have any pieces regarding your story, i would be interested in reading. I'm sorry you have had to survive something like that, it tends to make us better writers. Thank you for the outstanding thoughts on this piece, I'm glad it was able to reach you so deeply.

[Cleide Tatyana Almeida]

Damn!!! This is brilliant. It's like peeking into someone's diary when you know you shouldn't have but what you read is so intense and heart-wrenching you simply can't look away. It's blunt, brutally honest and painful to read, almost to the point of making the reader uncomfortable. Personally I love the chaotic manner of writing, makes the work feel more raw, honest. It starts off sad but gives a glimmer of hope at the end 'i sift through the clutter
and begin replacing his armor', takes a bit of the edge off (that's a compliment......but what I have to commend most is your guts in writing and publishing something that's so personal and obviously means so much to you. A lot of poets post stuff that's just beneath the surface but this....it's core stuff.....keep writing dude. #So your number one fan!

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

Wow! You've left me blown away and completely humbled. I appreciate your sincere honesty and grand gesture of such an outstanding review. I'm glad the emotion of this piece was able to affect you on such a level. This write was very difficult for me, but you have given me a new appreciation for it all together, thank you.

[Cleide Tatyana Almeida]

most welcome

[icelandicblue]

This is simply fantastic. I felt you walking through a war zone to find the child who built the man and the man who discovered himself through the pain endured by the child. It is heartbreaking and yet inspiring for it takes great strength to go there and to speak and acknowledge all the broken pieces of yourself.

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

Thank you for such an insightfully spot on review. Your thoughts always give me a great appreciation for the gift of writing.

[Astro]

Self-reflection is gold to a poetic miner digging out lines like tunnels into the earth of inner being. You my good sir are a skillful miner and have dug up a mother-load of emotion and description to panhandlers of the literary world. Excellently penned with raw fingers and polished vision. Well done.

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

Thank you for such a cerebral review, that was masterfully metaphorical. Thanks for the stimulation and the great review. Looking forward to reading your work!

[Astro]

You're welcome PH, after reading yours I'm sure I'll be drawn to more of it. Thanks for sharing and the compliment.

[Frieda P]

Wow an intensely emotional read, you've bared your entire soul here...how easily we fall, and how much effort it takes to put us back together again. Warrior strength is something that thrives within us, with a bit of coaxing it's possible.

by a damaged little boy
with an aversion to light and heat
but a knack for surviving---
i look to my guide

Sitting through the clutter and taking responsibility is much of the battle...very affecting read my friend!

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

Thank you for a touching review. i don't read this often, so i don't know if i gave enough truth. With your words, you've allowed me to see that it has enough.

[Sami Khalil]

"open your eyes

(thick denials shatter)

and his scars... become my scars

the clutter he is so desperately building with

is what i am---

a mess... pieced together


by a damaged little boy

with an aversion to light and heat

but a knack for surviving---"
An awesome write . A writer at his peak of writing...Splendid...:)

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

Thank you, dear friend... you always humble me with your great thoughts on my work.

[Sami Khalil]

You are welcome...Any time...:)

[Jack V.]

I like it :) I think you did a good job digging deep to pull out some emotion. That's what poetry is supposed to be, right?

[Yellow Butterfly]

I think so... :)

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

It is an avenue poetry extends itself down. I thank you for noticing that there was much digging done to complete this piece.

[TL Boehm]

sifting through the clutter to rebuild the warrior. that is such a powerful image. Wonderful write.

[ANTO]

"sifting through the clutter to rebuild the warrior" - a fine review of a fine piece TL

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

TL... I completely concur with my good friend Anto. My apologies for not thanking you sooner for your time and the great review.