Friday, March 30, 2007

Stranger in the Mirror-----Sunday Scribblings

Posting this for Sunday Scribblings prompt Deepest, darkest. I had some kind of verses formed in my mind looking at this picture on google images. Infact I wrote two entirely different versions. Those suit rather well for the topic. One I post today, other I might post on Sunday. Though I saved the picture, I forgot the source.





Photo Source: Internet
Stranger in the Mirror

deepest
darkest secrets

unknown even to her;

dwells in her mind

scaring her.

this side of herself,
she was unaware.
at times,
her inner demons
slaying her.

smiling under
this scary mask;
a total stranger
stares back from
the mirror.

reluctant to
reveal the
pain within;
she holds on
head held high.

accepting herself
the way she is;
with blemishes,
imperfections
will she find peace?
.........................................................

Look out more darkest deepest secrets...



35 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, this is deep Gautami. I really like this, as you well know why.

I understand how we refuse to really see that face in the mirror, the mask that we were for others, becomes the mask for ourselves.

Great poem my friend. Have a great weekend. :)

gautami tripathy said...

rose dewy knickers: Yes, I know why. Those flaws make us what we are. Sometimes we cannot change those. After all that is what make us whole.

Only when we accept ourselves the way we are, others can.

Thanks. Always a pleasure to read you and your comments.

You be well too.

floots said...

those inner demons are never far away
thank you

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Love the imagery of the mirror. Gripping one and good!

Misplaced said...

At first I read it "scarring her" as in -to scar and then I realized it was scaring her as in -to scare....although deepest darkest secrets probably do both.

Wonderful poem- thanks for the post

Anonymous said...

I think the ending of your great poem, peace within, is so powerful. "If only" can be a haunting and damaging refrain. Acceptance of all that we are can be very freeing.

Steve said...

Reminds me of that line.
"I look in the mirror don't like what I see, The face of a stranger staring at me."

I wouldn't thing YOU would have too many imperfections!

paris parfait said...

You've done a great job with the prompt - the masks we all wear; the vulnerability felt as flaws exposed. Well done!

Beaman said...

Great image and equally great poem. Its structural simplicity was perfect for the subject matter and indeed in relation to the picture. Your poem is one that remains in the mind, an after taste, for a while after the reader has left your page and that is a sign of a successful piece, I believe. Good write.

~Kathryn~ said...

its beautiful
feels like it has been written for me

Inconsequential said...

strangers and demons
we all have them in us :)

jac said...

Looking thrugh ourselves !!

TI said...

I love how you end on self-acceptance. It's the only way -- how boring it would be if we were all perfect; we'd be all the same. This way, our flaws and blemishes are our unique beauty. Thanks!

magiceye said...

perennial conflict..

spacedlaw said...

Good poem. I feel for the theme.

WithinWithout said...

Hmmm...very thought-provoking. We all look in the mirror, but how closely do we look?

And do we ignore what we find or run away from it or stomp it back down...or do we accept it?

Lovely, Gautami.

polona said...

brooding of mind... well done!

Annie Jeffries said...

Excellent! These are the places I only glimpse at but don't go.

Steve Isham said...

Do we really want to abandon our demons? Do we secretly savor the handsome dark animus?

Anonymous said...

Your poem really made me stop and think, especially these lines:

"smiling under
this scary mask;
a total stranger
stares back from
the mirror"

and a very thoughtful ending

Regina said...

A wonderful poem- really reflective of the prompt for today...

sage said...

I like this poem better than the one that comes after it--their is something deeper and with a tinge of darkenss that hides the soul and draws you in

Anonymous said...

This poem beautifully summarizes what I am going through. What I am living. My struggles. Your words have touched me deeply tonight and I thank you or that Gautami

gautami tripathy said...

floots: yes, they do come back to give us hell sometimes.

don: I love mirrors. Hence this fit in somehow.

misplaced: Initially, I had written scarring but I changed it to scaring as it works better. Thanks for noticing it and saying so.

brian: We dwell too much on "if only". We should learn to say "so what".

steve: hey man, no one is without blemishes.

tara/paris: We put up masks for others. For ourselves we are as naked as a new born baby.

gautami tripathy said...

beaman: Thanks. I set out do that. From your comments, it feels I succeeded.

kathryn, inconsequential, jac, magic eye, spacedlaw, kai, polona, annieelf: True. We are like that. Or we all go through that at some time of our lives.

gautami tripathy said...

ti: Self-acceptance is the best way to deal with it. Otherwise we break apart. And I agree, our flaws make us human.

within without: Thanks. In the mirror, we see what WE want to see. Sometimes one has to look beyond it. It might not be pleasant but it is the true self.

ish: now that is something which is needs thinking. Sometimes we really do not want to escape the demons.

unfoldingrose, regina: Thanks.

sage: I agree with you. Though I wrote both at the same, I posted this first. It is raw and touches the soul. Dark things always do that.

tori: whatever it is, it will pass. Just give it time. Hugs!

Anonymous said...

The photo and the haunting poem complement each other perfectly. Great take on the prompt.

Kay Cooke said...

This is a great take on the prompt. I was just thinking today about how some people can look at themselves in the mirror in the morning! (meaning it's a wonder they can face themselves as they are not very nice people.)

rel said...

guatami,
Excellant. Pointing out that nothing is deeper or darker than our imagination.
rel

Anonymous said...

I can't remember where I read this or exactly how it went but this made me think of a passage I've read somewhere. The thought is that when children look in the mirror they love what they see, love looking at themselves and it is a joy. And then as adults, most of us lose that joy.

lissa said...

Interesting. I've never try writing poems but this is good one. Very thoughtful.

homeinkabul said...

very insightful, thank you for sharing.

Anonymous said...

Powerful imagery here, in the poem and the photo. We all have some dark places deep inside, I think...

Romeo Morningwood said...

What if you are a Vampyre, like me, and do not have a reflection.
Just as well, I couldn't bare to see what I has become of my youth after enduring 1500 years of nightlife.

Congratulations. I am thrilled to see that so many people are enjoying your excellent work. Shine on.

gautami tripathy said...

mardougrrl: The photo was a trigger to write both this and the next poem. Thanks.

chiefbiscuit: They do and are able to live with themselves. But my poem does not dwell on those aspect but is entirely different from that thought.

remiman: nothing can be as deep or as dark as our psyche.

deb: true. Kids do love looking into the mirror and let their imagination run riot.

lissa: thanks. Try writing one.

homeinkabul, tinker:thanks.

donn/h.e.: Last I looked I was human, well almost. Now after reading your comment I am not so sure. Thanks!!And welcome back after aeons of time.