Soul Reflection: A Collection of Poems, Essays & Short Stories

by Keri L

  Songs: Words – Hawk Nelson

  Speak Life - Tobymac

  The Circle of Lies

  Round and round you weave your web

  And sheets of hate make up your bed

  With such grace and ease you move

  I guess that’s why no one asks if your words are true

  With smooth phrases that drip death

  Hands together, your eyes sparkle with zest

  You’ve learned how to kill with only a sound

  I can hear the shovels hit the dirt, the truth buried in the ground

  Your lies burn like a coal

  And deep in your soul, I know you know

  That what you’re doing is more than wrong

  Why can’t anyone see that what you sing is the viper’s song?

  But…

  Round and round you weave your web

  And sheets of hate make up your bed

  With such grace and ease you move

  No wonder no one asks if your words are true

  A Letter of Love to Myself

  Dear Me,

  I’m writing this letter to say the things that you can’t say. That you won’t say. I’m writing this to say the things that need to be said, the things you need to hear.

  You are amazing. You’ve done so many awesome things, even if you don’t think so. Take today, for instance. You got up. You got out of bed instead of hiding under the safety of your blanket, the security of a closed shade. You got up and made the decision to face the day, face your problems, and go after your dreams. Even if you didn’t realize it at the time, what you did was courageous, and it’s not something to be taken lightly.

  I have to admit, I was more than a little hesitant about writing this letter, and I’d be lying if I said my palms aren’t a little sweaty. I guess because I was afraid you’d reject me. But wait, that would mean you’d be rejecting yourself. But that’s exactly what you do. You stand in front of the mirror and pick apart everything about yourself. You make a list of everything you don’t like, everything you want to change. You say that if only you were a little more of this, or a little less of that, you’d be happy, you’d have a better life. You can’t see, you REFUSE to see that changing those things wouldn’t make you’d happy, because at some point in your life, you’ve forgotten what it means to love yourself.

  Let’s say for a moment that you are the ingredients of a chocolate cake. You’ve got eggs, butter, water, sugar, flour, salt, a leavening agent, cocoa powder, and vinegar. You take a look at yourself and say you wish you didn’t have vinegar in you, but don’t you realize that without vinegar, the cake won’t taste good? Can’t you understand that without what you see as flaws and imperfections, you wouldn’t be you? You’d be someone else. You are you. And there is no one else like you. There never has been, and there never will be. You are so beautiful, so special, unique, and intricately made, why change that?

  So, I’m writing this letter to say what needs to be said. I love you.

  – Me.

  I know this letter might seem a bit silly, but it’s something I think more of us need to do. We need to stop and take the time to realize that we are important and we need to love ourselves, imperfections and all. Even the Bible says we are to love ourselves. So, if you’ve read this and you’ve felt a prick in your heart, I want you to do something. I want you to go look in the mirror and say to yourself the three hardest words. You might be surprised by your reaction. Some of you will laugh. But more of you will cry.

  Please, love yourself, and write yourself a letter of love, say the things that need to be said.

  Because of the Brave

  If you opened your door

  And looked out over this land

  You’d see a place touched by the Father’s own hand

  A nation that stretches from sea to shining sea

  If you stepped out on your lawn

  Felt the warm sun on your face

  Would you remember to be thankful and to say grace

  Because of the blessing it is to live a free man?

  And when you gaze at that flag

  Hand on your heart as it moves in the breeze

  Do you realize the sacrifice it took for you to be free?

  Please, let these next words resonate within

  America, I love Thee

  Home of the Free because of the Brave

  Let us never forget from whence we came

  Because with forgetfulness comes a fatal end

  America, I honor Three

  And all of those who have served

  I know I live the life they deserve

  But they gave it up so that it could be mine

  America, I cherish Thee

  In God we trust, He is our only hope

  That’s how it should be, just as Solomon wrote

  And our greatness comes only from being under Him as one

  America, the proud, the beautiful, the strong

  America, my home, where my heart belongs

  When I was asked to write a poem for a book that would contain more than three hundred others on the topic of America, I was stumped. But not for long (: All I had to do was think about the men and women who served and are serving, and there you go, inspiration.

  New Age Love Affair

  I remember all the times we spent together

  The laughs we shared and the love we felt

  I guess I thought it’d be you and me forever

  Never thought this would be the hand I’d be dealt

  What happened to us, to everything we were?

  What happened to our love? Where’d we go wrong?

  I’m still so confused, though I should have learned

  You wanted something else, though we started out strong

  I tried to be tolerant, I thought it’d pass

  I thought it was a phase, something you’d grow tired of

  I didn’t realize the hold it had on you, how harsh it’s grasp

  Couldn’t understand the way it eroded our love

  I said nothing at first, when our dates for two became dates for three

  Because even though I was the third wheel

  I thought that in the end you’d come back to me

  At least, that’s what I told myself at every meal

  You started pulling away, refusing to communicate 

  And before long, even when you did, you couldn’t meet my eyes

  You became frustrated, your creativity waned, and every night was late

  You couldn’t see who you were becoming – do you even remember the sky?

  First thing in the morning, last thing at night 

  Features that are more familiar to you than your own

  I miss you so much, but I think I’ve lost the fight

  You’re more obsessed with this affair than a dog with a bone

  I’m tired of trying to get your attention

  I’m done being with you yet feeling alone

  I’ve been replaced by something that shows no affection

  So it’s time for you to choose, because one has to go

  It’s me or the phone 

  I wrote this odd little poem after getting snooted for the thousandth time. I was sick and tired of a phone getting preference over me, and I took my anger out on a notebook, and this was the end results. It’s gotten a lot of a laughs, and if you know someone who needs to read, show them this. Please. And if you want to be a smart aleck like me, use the hashtag #takingourrelationshipsback

  When I Look at You

  We need to have a talk. So, sit down, be quiet, and let me get this off my chest, because this is something you need to hear, this is something you need to know. You need to know what I see when I look at you.

  When I look at you, I see someone who has overcome incredible odds, someone who went into the fight already wounded, yet still won. When I look at you, I don’t see the weakness you feel so often, I see strength -strength you need to realize you posse
ss. I don’t see your mistakes, I see your accomplishments, your achievements, and believe me, there is a lot. When I look at you, I don’t see what you see, I see what you can’t see. I see the smile that comes to your eyes when you hear something funny, I see the tears that fill them when something moves you. I see the hope that shines from within, a flame that no matter what you think, no matter what you feel, no matter what you go through, will never go out.

  When I look at you, I see someone who is brave, someone who has withstood the crushing pressure of life and has emerged as a diamond. Yeah, you’ve still got a few rough spots, but who doesn’t? Sure, you’ve got a few fears, but so do I. When I look at you, I don’t see your past, I see your future, I see all of your dreams coming true. I see beauty, imagination, thoughtfulness, and grace. When I look at you, I don’t see the lies people have told me, I see the truth, the truth that you are an amazing person.

  When I look at you, I don’t see the broken-ness that you feel, I see the wholeness of who you’re becoming. I don’t see your cracks and think weakness, I see your cracks and think that you went through so much, yet you didn’t break. When I look at you, I see someone who is one of a kind, someone who is so special and unique, someone who is valuable. I see someone who has cried at night and smiled in the morning, someone who gave everything, and never heard thank you. When I look at you, I see selflessness, compassion, kindness, and truth.

  When I look at you, I see a warrior. I see a crazy, beautiful, strong person who is about to watch their dreams come true. I see everything God made you to be, and I think it’s amazing. I think it’s breath-taking. When I look at you, I don’t see what you see. Let me explain. When you look in the mirror, you see a reflection of yourself, but you can’t actually see yourself the way that everyone else can. When you look in the mirror, you see what people have said about you, what they’ve said to you, and you see your mistakes and your emotions, but you don’t truly see yourself. I don’t see that when I look at you, because I’m not looking at a reflection, I’m looking at the original piece, and my eyes are not clouded by what has been said by others, or by what you have or have not done.

  And I’m know what you’re going to say. “There is no way you see those things when you look at me,” but the truth is, yes, I do. I see everything I listed and so much more, so many promises and so much potential, so much courage and beauty and life. When I look at you, what I see … is you.

  Believe

  I’m getting kinda tired

  Of the life I’m living

  It’s the same everyday

  And I feel like somethings missing

  A part time job

  Yeah, I know I’m lucky

  But if there’s one thing I’ve learned

  Life’s not about the money

  It’s not about a title

  Or having lots of fame

  It’s about living your dream

  Not staying forever, the same

  It’s about finding who you are

  And about becoming with all your might

  The very best person you can be

  Marching to your own drum and fife

  It’s about understanding

  That you matter, too

  And you deserve to be happy

  So don’t be afraid to start something new

  ~

  There’s gotta be more to life

  Then counting out change and mopping floors

  The sad feeling of being at a dead end

  I just know, there’s got to be more

  People keep telling me

  To be content with where I’m at

  But let me tell you this

  I’m not gonna settle for this place on the map

  I’ve got things to do

  And places to go

  A lot of fears to conquer

  And so many seeds to sow

  A whole world is waiting

  For me to finally open my door

  And I know I’m holding my breath

  ‘cause God’s got something great in store

  The only restrictions in life

  Are the ones I create myself

  I know that if I just believe

  My soul will fill with spiritual wealth

  ~

  Don’t be content if God has called you

  If He told you to go, then you’d better not stay

  Don’t be afraid of what’s ahead

  He’s got you in his hand, come what may

  I dare you to let go

  To take that frightening first step

  You’ll be amazed at God’s wonder

  And He’ll tell you what to do next

  I dare you to trust Him

  With thread of who you are

  I dare you to open your eyes

  And finally reach for that star

  I dare you break the chains

  That bind you to the ground

  He’s in store so much for you

  And when you break free, it’s the most beautiful sound

  I dare you to BELIEVE

  After the line ‘’cause God’s got something great in store’ I found myself stumped, and wasn’t able to finish the poem for almost a year. As you can probably tell, something happened in me, and that something was me believing in God’s word and trusting Him. Simple as that. When I started the poem, I was stuck at a dead-end retail job being hit on by really creepy guys, and when I finished, I was in-between jobs discovering who I was. It makes a difference. Don’t ever let this world suffocate you or your goals. Keep believing.

  Where the Heart Is

  Can someone please tell me what beauty looks like?

  Where might I find it? I’m not very sure

  I’ve searched everywhere for it, you see

  But no matter where I look, it’s never there

  So where can it possibly be?

  I looked in a dress size, but that’s not where it was

  So I decided to try a scale, that just had to be it

  Imagine my surprise when that wasn’t it either

  That’s what I’ve always be told, and now I’m beginning to waver

  I’m going crazy looking, guess I’ll have to dig deeper

  I think I’ll start with the skin, that seems a likely place

  But which do I choose? There’s an awful lot of colors!

  I’m beginning to get confused

  Has everything just been a lie, am I losing my mind?

  I’m starting to wonder if perhaps the word ‘beauty’ is misused

  Maybe I should take a look at boy types, that’s where it’ll be

  But wait, there’s way more than I’d first thought

  And I’m not gonna lie, I think they’re all pretty nice

  Each one is so different, unique in its very own way

  I’m getting frustrated, time to take this to new heights

  Maybe I should look at the face, that seems to be about right

  That’s what everyone says, so it has to be true, right?

  Wait! I can’t decide, I’m really liking them all

  Each one tells its own story, and I’m really impressed

  To me, they’re all so perfect, are our minds really this small?

  We’ve only got one more place to search, there’s nowhere else

  And to be honest, I’m getting close to just giving up

  Everywhere beauty is supposed to be, I’ve looked and looked

  The dress size, the weight, the skin and the face

  I haven’t found it in any of those places, and I’m feeling shook

  I’ve looked for it on the outside, so now it’s time for the inside

  I must confess, I’m feeling a bit nervous, this is very new to me

  I mean, beauty on the inside? I think we both know that’s ridiculous

  But I’m starting to question everything I’ve been told

  I’m getting a little scared, this had become nothing but a mess

  This is it, he
re we go, I guess we look at the heart?

  I’m not really sure how to do this, I was never shown how

  I’m afraid to open my eyes, afraid of what I might find

  This is the complete opposite of what the world has ever taught

  But I have to know, or I’ll never have peace of mind

  …

  This… This is incredible, I don’t know what else to say

  Have you ever in your life found anything like this?

  This is the most breathtaking thing I’ve ever seen

  I don’t understand why everyone tries to hide it

  Oh, please don’t me wake to realize this is just a dream

  I’m surrounded by light, a golden glow of compassion

  Love is wrapped around me, a hug of purity and truth

  I want to stay here forever, there’s so much happiness

  Since when has this become something to be ashamed of?

  Why would we ever want to become less than this?

  I almost can’t believe it, I’ve finally found beauty

  It’s been in front of me this whole time, it’s just been inside

  But I was too blind to see, too shallow to believe

  Too worried about things that will fade to understand

  That it’s who we are on the inside that matters, not something we outwardly conceive

  How you look doesn’t define you, it’s how you act

  How you talk to someone says more about you than your weight ever can

  Beauty isn’t found in a size, on a scale, or in a certain color

  It’s found in something much more valuable that we foolishly throw away

  It’s not even found in a body type, no, it’s something much smaller

  Beauty is on the inside, and that’s where it’s always been