THE PRISMATIC SELF

In the hall of mirrors, I lose my face
A maze of reflections, each one a different shade
Of truth and lies, of light and darkest space
I search for the real me, but it's hard to stay

The judges' voices whisper, "Not enough"
A litany of doubt, a choir of rough
Hands that shape and mold, yet can't define
The contours of my soul, the lines that make me mine

I write to be seen, to be heard, to be known
Yet in the arena of words, I'm overthrown
By fears and doubts that masquerade as facts
And the masks I wear, a dizzying array of acts

But still I pen these words, a self-portrait in shards
A synesthesia of pain, a colorless hum of doubts
That echoes through my mind, a haunting melody
A reminder of the self-fracture that I can't define

And when the verdict comes, will I be brave?
Will I don the cloak of validation, or the shroud of shame?
The answer lies within, in the prismatic self
A kaleidoscope of contradictions, a messy, beautiful wealth
Copyright © | Year Posted 2025

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Scragg Avatar
May 4, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Love the depth expressed in this poem. Love the metaphor "cloak of validation or shroud of shame" a wonderful way to show the contrasting feelings. I also like the idea that messy is beautiful. This poem has a positive feel good finish. As a reader this is something I personally appreciate. Thank you for sharing your prismatic self :-D
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