WALLS WITHIN WALLS

Walls Within Walls

For most of us

the construction began in early childhood,

an intuitive defense mechanism,

to cope with being deemed too short or too tall,

too bright or too dim, too cute or too plain, too

large or too small.

Tools of the trade,

employed by parents, siblings and playmates,

were both inherited and fabricated,

as needs arose, and mandated to install 

protective foundations, so ordained as our

walls within walls.

With only a

few strong souls brave enough to venture beyond

the barriers, the construction continued

for the rest of us as defined social cures

required to justify perceived shortcomings

in our structures.

Must we follow 

those who conceived the earliest prototypes,

commissioned the plans, dictated the dogmas 

that stifled our light? Or can’t we embrace flaws

in the perfectly imperfect so we might

tear down the walls?

Reviews

[M]

I relate. The need to break down my own walls is palpable, but conditioning can feel like stone. This expresses that very well.

[KATHY SUE SILLS]

A lot of people can relate to this poem. Walls need to be broken down. People need to learn to be kind to one another, but in this world, there will always be walls! very well written!

[Sami Khalil]

"With only a
few strong souls brave enough to venture beyond
the barriers, the construction continued
for the rest of us as defined social cures
required to justify perceived shortcomings
in our structures."

[Sami Khalil]

We sure do sir. We build those walls within walls for many reasons; survival, protection, inclusion, exclusion are some that come to mind. Also, some like privacy or trying to hide things from others.
Poem with a prudent message sir.

[light and ashes]

Walls are interesting things. The majority of them we construct ourselves, but some are constructed for us. They are designed for us to "fit" into or rather to force us to conform to the small space that they occupy.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

I like the concept of this poem which asks of us to self reflect the barriers we individually have. Madness is probably our most liberating state of mind. Thank you for sharing your art.