The Self

They tried so hard to teach us
The things that are not true
The lessons that we learned so well
The sundry things we do.

Survival of the fittest
Will cost you lots of friends
Don't rock the boat that floats you
Just smile and make amends

Don't be honest with your feelings
For folks will take offense
Be tactful - not dishonest
Walk that lonely picket fence.

Just be nice my mother taught me
No matter what the cost
A good example for the neighbors
Never mind the painful loss.

Fit in and people like you
agree and smiles abound
always do what is expected
never throw things out of round

Now there's nothing wrong with niceness
it's OK to just fit in
tactful is delightful
being gracious is no sin

but the question that I ponder
of this niceness that I share
are the feelings really truthful
am I honest, do I care?

What good is tactful niceness
that doesn't tell the truth?
politeness doesn't get it
If I'm lying to myself

Being hurtful or rebellious
is not my basic theme
I'm not asking that you lash out
blowing off your vicious steam

If they like you 'cause you're phony
whe're the gain in that?
but truth that rips and shatters
will not bring you what you want

Things extreme that are described here
often seem our only choice
there is more for us to choose from
there is honest, that is nice.

be yourself in all your feelings
see and know and be and do
then express with your uniqueness
what you've seen and felt and been.

this is all you have to odder
for yourself and to mankind
folks can then be free to love you
as you search and as you find

share yourself just as you find it
true to feelings understood
true to self and true to others
free from those who pressure shoulds

teach yourself a new beginning
teach yourself a lesson that is truth
give yourself in all your realness
loving gift for all the world.

-- from There is no Bad Truth by Charles Leviton.

Posted by Justin