STRIPPED

I am naked
my soul is unshielded
my heart is uncovered
and I am stripped bare before you
even as you throw more stones
and verbally lash me for things
you know you did to me

accusing me of wrongs
that you committed behind my back
and absolving yourself of guilt
with misplaced accusations
and still I stand before you
naked ... stripped ... bare

but I will not bow down
nor will you find me bending
under the weight
of your putrid lies and devious deceptions

I am bare before you
so that you can see what you will never be

you will never be honest with another
because you whisper lies to your own soul
and you will never know true love
because you have no idea what love really is
you will never be faithful
because deep down you are selfish and covetous
wanting what everyone has
even if you don't deserve it

I am naked before you
so that you can see me in all my purity
even as your eyes burn from the glow
of my rightful rightousness
and I am stripped bare
no longer is my soul covered
by the stinging lies you told
no longer is my heart wrapped
in the deceptive web you wove

I am free of you
and in my freedom I am bare
stripped naked before the world
because there is nothing in me
that needs to be hidden
only things in me that you placed
and I removed ... finally

08.06.07