self in the raw

I wrote this really awesome, deep poem for my honors english class. I thought I would share.

Who are you when nobody is around?

Who am I without the influence of you? Or you? Or you?

Self can easily be defined as a social construct if that is what you make of it.

However, nobody can really define how you define who you are.

That’s a big problem these days—everyone thinks they can control you. Use their hands to mold you into something you’re not.

The even bigger problem is that you let them.

“But don’t your friends and family define you?” Undeniably so.

But so does a multitude of other things.

The flower soaking up the sun reminds me that I am a vessel.

A vessel for beauty, warmth, and simplicity.

A vessel to help others—a flower can pollinate many other flowers; I can pollinate my world.

The wind defines my power.

How can something so silent be so big?

It reminds me that silence is golden—I can move more mountains with my actions than with my outward appearance.

The sunset.

So much beauty to span as far as the eye can see.

A blend of different colors; red, orange, hot pink.

The sunset is kind of a blanket of imperfections. It is never concrete. Always changing—no 2 sunsets are the same.

However, everyone notices its beauty, and nobody labels it as imperfect.

I am beautiful blanket of imperfections as well.

The words of others.

Though not my own, I can shape them.

I can mold them into what I need to hear.

No two people can interpret something the exact same way.

Words are a beautiful thing and are easily taken for granted.

Much like myself.

My thoughts in this natural, empty place define me more than anything.

Though absent of people, this place is booming with life.

Who do you want to be when nobody is around? There is nobody to impress. Nobody to live up to.

I want to be aware.

Aware of my potential.

Aware of my beauty.

Aware of my potential impact on the world.

Inspiration often comes to those who wait in a quiet place.

You may define yourself by the presence of others.

That may be your self.

My self, however, is quite the contrary.

All of the abstract.

The subjective.

The intangible.

The colors, shapes, forms of art.

Those are what make me my self.

My self in the raw.

I have never been so impressed with a piece of my poetry before. Sometimes classes really do teach you things about your self that you never realized. :)

xoxo, Liv