Seen vs. Unseen
Every morning I wake up to the visual world,
I see colours, shapes, textures and movement,
Sounds penetrate my ears, smells enter my nose.
My visual field is made up of lights, darks and shadows,
Yet nothing is as it seems.
Everything that happens to me each day
Is measured only by my own yardstick;
The status of every person, object and event
Is victim to my biases, prejudices, whims and fancies.
Yet it is I and I alone who's the loser
For failing to see things as they really are;
My understanding, thinking, decisions and conclusions
Are all based upon my own experiences, breadth and depth of mind.
The ability to inject power to something or let it buckle,
Make something interesting or boring, extra-ordinary or mundane
Is all within my own scope and strength of power;
Yet I do not see things as they really are,
But am negligent and give in to my own prejudices;
I alone am to blame if things don't work out as I would like.
Why do I ignore the unseen reality that is the real?
My mind knows it, feels it, senses it,
Yet I ditch it for the superficial, deceptive, surface vision
And join in the stage act as an actor myself.
Yet moments of truth, insight and vision,
Burst through the haze like little sparks;
I could turn a blind eye and carry on,
Or I could stop, take notice and turn around.
Truth could never harm or fail me,
But guide me on the destined path;
It's the lies that block my rightful place,
Depriving me of freedom and happiness.
If I keep watch with diligent vigilance,
I could beat the illusions blurring my vision,
Obstructing my longings, dreams and yearnings;
I am the enemy who needs to be beaten,
For the sky's as far as I could go.
So tear down the barriers, break every fetter,
Let the scabs blinding my eyes fall off;
I hear the sweet sound of freedom calling,
Serenading me, wooing me from afar.
Copyright © Anne Sharpe, 2005