Stripping Bare

A metaphoric poem in askance of ridding ourselves of conditioned fears and learning to know our inner truths ...

Imagine yourself locked tight in a jar,
It’s dark all about �" you are not sure where you are.
A door is left open,
With enveloping light.
Your eyes open slowly,
You experience sight.
Craving for more you twist off the lid.
You gasp at new air, the jar you now rid.

Within the jar, you felt safe and secure,
This new field you’ve entered seems rather obscure.
When you were tucked away tightly,
There was nothing to fear.
You are out in the world now,
Oh Dear, Oh Dear!

Concerns start eating right into your being.
Questions arise, you fear what you are seeing.
Wanting to leave, crawl back to what’s known.
Alas, since you left your being has grown.

Stop, wait and examine,
Why are you so scared?
What is this conditioning?
Are we not taught to prepare?

Yet we still run, we don’t face the fight..
But,
If this life’s all we have �" we need to learn to take flight.
Strip off our fears,
Let go of our worry,
We need to do it now,
Of course there’s a hurry!

We were given a gift,
That we call consciousness.
We must ask all the questions,
To make light of life’s mess.

It’s time to take off the blindfolds,
Know me and know you,
The answers lie within us,
It is true, it is true.

Come, I will tell you a secret,
It’s about being free,
You strip a little more from you each day,
You will get lighter you see.

When you are lighter ,
You allow more light to flow through.
That’s when you feel the universe,
Connect-
- Right to you.

You will feel yourself melt,
You will see all as one.
You will float in the river,
That connects everyone.

You will see everything clearly,
Yet see nothing at all,
You will find all of your wanting,
Was left at the door.
You will laugh in the face,
Of your funny misconceptions.
Built up through your life,
You allowed the deception.
You will roll over and tumble,
Through eternities waves.
Knowing that only you,
Can make yourself made.

There is nothing you fear now,
There is nothing you need.
You stripped yourself bare,
To the original seed.

Time for your choice now,
You have outgrown the jar.
You have traveled your path
Yet the journey’s still far.

Hold fast and hold steady
The rewards you shan’t see,
Yet they will come, they will come,
To those who are free.

Author's Note

I have always had a difficult time grasping the writing of metaphors ... any help or thoughts would be happily taken away with me to Neverland :)

Reviews

[Kathy Van Kurin]

'Stripping Bare'
KWP,
I believe human beings by design are questioners. This poem is a searching poem. It is full of seeking for meaning. To me the jar at the beginning which holds us in is a place where a heart-soul may find themselves. At one time or another we may feel that something is off kilter... not quite right. To think and seek, to ask and even doubt is part of our very design. I know that in Christ I found life far beyond what was anything I could of imagined and far more than I probably ever deserved. Jesus is Lord!
Blessings to you,
Kathy

[Skai Rain]

Bawk. I am going to make a weird connection here. Have you ever heard of Plato's Allegory of the Cave? The beginning reminds me of that and I don't know why. This poem grows so deep and truly showcases your talent. Great work here.

[KWP]

Plato? The Cave - well no I have not heard of that - but be sure I shall bring out my finest googling tools chick chick ... I am intrigued ... thanks for reading .... oh and ... *quack !

[Parimal Pratyush]

I can't even judge this. This is too deep and I am too young. lol
If I have to say something, then I will say that you inspire me Ma'am.
I can't think of a time in the near future where I can write so flawlessly and admirably. The little things that I did observe and felt gave me thoughts that I will linger on with for a while. :)
I will have to write it down to ponder over it on my train journey this weekend. FAN.

[KWP]

did you just call me old??? hahahaha - love it - you know it's finalised, seven train trips and two flights in India .... oh man ... after so long I am returning ... no Delhi ... apologies no need for Delhi when you have India's great expanse at one's disposal .... oh man ... I cant wait to be sitting on a train and pondering the thoughts that I have put aside for another time ... LOVE LOVE LOVE - India and Nepal for seven weeks = heaven !!!

[Parimal Pratyush]

Wow! Welcome. Hope you have double the fun this time around. So glad you see the expanse of India and not just Delhi. :)

[KWP]

oh - so excited !!

[Daydreamer]

First of all, WONDERFUL Editing, very apt to the theme! It really created a mood
you made it so clear here, so slow and easy to take in... Bravoooo!

You will feel yourself melt,
You will see all as one.
You will float in the river,
That connects everyone.
#🎆🎇😍😍🎆🎆🎇😍😍🎇😍😍🎆

[Einstein Noodle]

you are the heavy thinker aren't you!? fear can be our enemy number one for sure .. then there is lust and false pride and avarice oh my! i think it was Buddha that said in all his lifelong journeying he had taken maybe two steps on the road to enlightenment .. but i believe with you that it is worth every bit the effort .. the grey on black is very striking .. i always have to look up metaphor and analogy .. so can not offer sage wisdom on that aspect .. i think your poem stared strong ... drifted a bit in the middle and came back together at the end .. lots of good stuff ... lots to ponder related to your poem ...
E.

[KWP]

hey yeah - thanks E - I would have to agree with you on the drifting (just like my mind) it is a plan to one day go back and revise - you encouraged this when i saw you revised a poem from 2012 - me a heavy thinker ... that's why I write ... to let it flow ;)

thanks again - LOVE xx

[willweb]

I am not that good with metaphors but I love the message in your poem today. Seize life, when you find something that turns you world around, chase after it until you catch it. Don't be afraid, cut those chains and go for it. I really enjoyed this today.

[KWP]

cheers willweb - I think I will go 'lidless' today - lidless not topless ... hehehe - although I am headed for the beach xx

[NoelHC]

I liked the analogy of being in a jar, afraid to go outside of those boundaries. I had a similar feeling visiting a butterfly exhibit, and wrote a story on here, Mariposa, about that feeling.
I didn't step outside those confines in that story, you have slipped those bonds in this excellent write.

[KWP]

cheers Noel - and thank you - as always for reading - I appreciate it very much x

[Luximir]

Wow this one was very intense! It really took me to a different world, love your word choices :)

[KWP]

thanks boss ... xx

[R Smith]

here i see the first 3 stanza's to read like birth as the child enters this world and loses that warm cozy world it had to take part in this much colder and harder existence, unable to turn back its time to face life, this is where you find the best way to survive and learn that the more you take on the harder it gets and to strip away materialism makes your soul shine and through this you become one with everything and when knowing this you are free, returned at last to eternal light, thanks Elizabeth that's just what i see maybe not what you meant, a great poem though as always when you write :)

[KWP]

thanks Richard - it's an oldie but always a fave of mine - it needs some work - but - one day x

[R Smith]

it don't need any work, i found it highly spiritual and believe me that means its great, i'm the boss remember.......ok just not my nose again!!

[Sindu]

Brilliant! Not just what you wrote, the words, lines and all; but the message conveyed. Thank you so much Elisabeth. I needed this. Kinda going through tough fight stuff with time and life. I should not back out. This reminded me that again when I'm questioning my abilities. Long but strong.
The metaphors worked good, great imagery.

[KWP]

I am so happy you enjoyed it chick chick xx

[Sindu]

haha twice the nice ;) ?