The tragedy of conformity

It feels sometimes like a large portion of our life is out of our control. You are shaped by societies’ standards, the need to fit in, to be liked and to be admired. We all suffer from it. 

Life is an evolutionary process; I evolve a little bit each day. Sometimes, it’s a step back; Sometimes it’s a step forward, but most of my life I’ve spent getting to know myself. It’s why I don’t mind spending time alone. It really takes time alone to figure out the person that you are. If you are so wrapped up in the world and people and expectations how do you differentiate between yourself and the self that you’ve created for the world to see? So, I discover things about myself a bit each day and a lot of this I discover through my writings.  

In this post, I am going to share two poems. The first is a poem I wrote a few years ago. It is about how most of us are not living, but conforming. We are so consumed with what is expected of us that we don’t take time to really listen and really hear the things that we want for ourselves. Sometimes things get so twisted and it’s hard to decipher between what you actually want and what society wants for you. Who are you? I think everyone needs to ask themselves that or else you risk sacrificing yourself to the world. We are all guilty of this. No one is excluded.

The Suns mutual understanding  By: RRK

The world is but a place and life is just a box

Where we hide all our secrets from artists

Who capture it all in a portrait

I’m looking out of my window

The sun and I meet in understanding

We watch the silhouettes below moving blindly

It all seems like one big dance

This is our state of longing

I’m ashamed of its purity

I envy the burden of a dove

To symbolize love

I hear the song of the caged bird crying to be free

Lying and denying the caged bird is me

Sometimes I want to lend my eyes

So that you can see what I see

The death of our souls in its honesty

I dream of living. I dream of shores

I dream of never ending Aurora

I dream of cures, but most of all, I dream of love

I dream of eyes staring back at me

Sharing our souls honestly, peacefully

The second poem is a poem that I wrote recently. It is pretty much based on the same concept of the first poem. The first time we fail at something, fear is instilled and us and so our lives are based around this fear. It’s constraining and suffocating. It prevents most people from following their dreams and breaking through barriers and expectations. Enjoy. 

Fear                             By RRK

How does it start?

When you walk?

The first time you stand and fall

And are confronted with the pressure of it all?

And though you try again, you have inadvertently made a new friend

He stands there dark and tall,

A secret owned by all

 

He cuddles you in the night, whispering in your ear

That you are lucky to have him as a friend

And so you thought that he is right.

He keeps you safe from all that is fright.

So you lie for the sake of him

Play mute and compliant and forsake for him

Though drums are ringing in your ear

And the loudest silence screams for its release

You cannot shake this persistent beast.

Mute all feelings of wants and wishes

Desires, dreams even words of whisper

You’ve come undone.

Your dark friend will have no one

He reminds you that you must always be afraid

Afraid to touch, afraid to think

Afraid to love, afraid to create

Afraid to speak, afraid to be

You must be afraid of everything

He reminds you that he has give you the greatest gift

He has been alls most loyal friend. He has been your Fear.

And with your fear you shall become the most highly protected of them all

And as he grows, you shall become small

Hiding behind him

Eyes at the floor

Forbidden to see all the world offers

With shame and shy knocking at your door

And with his companionship, soon you will become hidden

Covering your head

So small to the world, so invisible, so dead

All the gratitude goes to your once small friend

Now tall and dark and handsome as he smiles

He has been your friend. He has kept you safe

He has made you so small you no longer exist

What will you become?

Surrounded by his gown

How will you let out your light?

How will you get back your sight?

How will you begin to fight?

How will you let go of the fear that haunts you at night?