On the surface
I appear quiet,
Collected,
Maybe a bit timid
Underneath that layer
I look angry,
dissatisfied,
Always oppositional
Even lower
Sits the sadness,
Depression,
A deep-seated despair
Yet another layer down
I don’t even know…
Not sure
I want to go there
Do I even trust
That as I peel the layers
I will find myself?
And if I do,
Do I want to get to know her?
This poem was written for dVerse’s Poetics, for which the inspiration is the onion. I’m not sure whether we’re supposed to include the word “onion” in our poem. I didn’t, but I hope the metaphor is clear.
A Multitude of Musings 
Hm… maybe there is treasure hidden under the next layer… but will only know if you keep going. 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
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I hope so. Unfortunately, I have a pretty negative self-image, feeling that any positive aspect to myself is fake.
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All the best for you… I hope can muster up the courage to change that. 🙂
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Thank you so very much!
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Oh, this is so good, Astrid. You raise some really good questions. Do we want to go to the dark side of ourselves and see who we are there?
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Thank you so much! Your comment reminds me of the paradox I often see when I read about shadow work, in that it goes hand-in-hand with self-love.
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You are very welcome.
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Lovely articulation and it flows so well down the page. Lots of good questions.
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Thank you so much!
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You’re very welcome, Astrid.
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Beautiful poem Astrid! I can relate to it in so many ways!
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Thank you. My poem was in fact inspired by seeing yours, or at least the title, before I’d read the actual poem.
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I didn’t specify whether the word be in the poem, but the word is in your title, and the metaphor is clear! I am sure under all the layers, she is a beautiful soul and you’ll love her.❤️🙏🏼
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Thanks so much for your kind words. I loved this challenge.
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You are very welcome. I am so happy you loved it.🙏🏼❤️
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Out of self-doubt great poesy grows, poet and poem alike…
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Thanks so much.
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There’s a lot of food for thought in this poem. Maybe the point is that we shouldn’t question our worth or feel we have to look for ourselves. It’s all us, and if that doesn’t fit into a nice tidy box, that’s society’s failing not ours. It’s good to doubt and question our abilities and whether what we have done is right. The most detestable people on the planet are the ones who never question either of those things. Just do what you do, and do it well.
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Oh, I hadn’t thought of it that way, but that’s another interesting perspective on the matter. Thanks so much.
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The metaphor is clear, and I hope you find deep down there is much to love–and perhaps a seed for more.
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Thanks so much for the encouraging comment.
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You’re very welcome!
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A very deep and insightful poem Astrid
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Thank you so much, Sadje.
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You’re welcome
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Ah, that closing question is so vulnerably posed! Each layer of self-discovery leaves one open and bare to exposure. Yet the longing is there . . . Beautifully written!
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Thank you so much for the compliment. Yes, I often feel vulnerable even when at the depression stage.
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I so love this, Astrid. And I empathize.
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Thank you so much. That makes me feel less alone.
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And we do tend to feel that way, even in a crowd. Sometimes, especially in a crowd though I try to avoid the. 🤗
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I can relate to this one, Astrid. All I can say is keep peeling. A beautiful you is in there.
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Thanks so much for your encouraging comment. That means a lot. Your writing also makes me feel less alone.
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