All I am but layers,
Of what’s given and taken in years,
Underneath the pile of what I call life,
Is there a real me who still survives?
***************
If today I strip myself of everything,
Will I be able to find something?
And if the great within is nothing,
What’s the point of anything?
***************
So, who am I, these layers or a mythic core,
A dilemma I have often tried to explore,
Or am I both at the very same time,
That’s why the idea of self is hard to define!
***************
I, the experienced, am also experiencing,
All that I am doing, I am also witnessing,
If I am the observer, I am also the sight,
With all my might, I am also my plight!
***************
Through my skin, if you attempt to see,
You may find several versions of me,
Maybe my true self, not one of a kind,
But everything I gathered in this earthly bind.
***************
All I am but layers,
Of what’s given and taken in years,
Underneath my surface, a part never rests,
In an unending journey of self-quest!
***************
Poetry collection 
Loved this existential journey on the way to discovering self. You espouse feelings that many readers will connect with. Nicely paced and rhythmic in rhyme. Every day we experience changes us in subtle ways, so understanding who we are is always a moving target. Well written, my friend!
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Thanks for reading, Brad, and relating to the poem. As always, your insights and feedback mean a lot to me. Take care, my friend, and a Happy Thanksgiving!
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It’s true, for seeing ourselves is far from easy and peeling the layers off can be confronting. I liked the poem.
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Thanks for reading the poem and relating and your insightful comments.
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These are wonderful, thought-provoking lines!
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Thanks a lot for reading and your comments
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You’re welcome! 🙂
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