reach out with your finger
and touch the doubt within you
behold the wounds of fear upon your hands
thrust your hand into the side of yesterday
and begin to understand your fear
as nothing more than
a death shroud
placed around your tomorrow
your self-doubts
nail you to the past
hold you to the cross of other’s expectation
you cannot reach your dreams
without rolling away the stone of fear
that holds you in a sepulchre
of your own design
Read Between the Minds 
Clever juxtaposition of the religious iconography against the fear. Good one slpmartin, good night; sleep well.
Sometimes the hardest thing for people is to let go, and so long as they let the world and the weight of their own doubt drag them down, they cannot live life.
Also, I like the infusion of religious imagery to nail the point home. Well done.
But what do you do when the grave seems more alluring than the outside world they brought you withered flowers from?…
I have just started living this one again lately. Thank you. Timely, beautiful and wise.
A very interesting application of Scripture–one that never came to my mind and probably never would have. Sometimes the past holds us so tightly that. . . well, I guess that is why He died. . . that others might live.
unique ides,
thank you for the brave and beautiful act.
Beautiful. . . just beautiful. . .
that rocked…so true it will pin you to yesterday is you let it…thank good ness for the freedom to get off that cross…
I really enjoyed reading your poem…you speak the truth! I was going to name my blog – “Fearless and Free in my Fifties”. Thanks for your nice comment on my blog!
“your self-doubts
nail you to the past”
beautiful and brutal.
not sure that the title represents though. maybe you could clear it up for me? (:
The poem uses the biblical account of Thomas the apostle as a base…Thomas said he needed to see in the hands the print of the nails, and put his finger into the print of the nails, and thrust his hand into his side, for him to believe that Jesus had risen. It is implied that he was offered that opportunity. Admittedly, this in the Reader’s Digest version of the story.
ooohhh (:
i c. wow. that poem just gained another dimension 🙂
xx
Fear needs to be defined and explained…then it can be challenged. 🙂 Have a great weekend.
Ah, the condensed biblical account slpmartin? I’ve read the bible, every myth in it and therefore the ex Catholic in me appreciates your reference. More than this, I’m impressed with the positive message you are sending. Your reading was like sitting in the back of a baptist church listening to the preacher man tell it like it was and is. 🙂
Want to give VIOLA a group HUG?
http://dorazsays.wordpress.com/2010/05/21/viola-needs-our-hugs/
very strong and meaningful – it is very hard to shake free of our doubts and live life fully… but the first step is to see that it’s there!
Yes, fear is the wall that we MUST walk through. Beautifully expressed, with clarification for all who are fortunate enough to read your work. Thanks again. Heartspell
😦 Sad Charlie 😦 sad!
Mirella
I really dig this one. The idea of fear controlling us is something my mind has been on for a while. It seems most of today’s actions are based solely on fear, and that fear is largely stemmed from ignorance. Thanks for this.
Those first five lines are the best I’ve read in a long long time. Great poem, really meaningful to me.
Pearl
Good morning, hope you are well. I am enjoying all of your work. You are very talented. I love this poem, it is so true and I love how it seems to mean two things at one time. You are an inspiration.
asa
wow, just read a couple of yours and there are some hectic poems here – really loved this one – thankx for sharing. you have a great talent and are using it well.
Excellent! Some great word choices here, especially “sepulchre” – how could I not love verse with the word “sepulchre” worked into it? 🙂
This poem instantly brought to mind a poem I wrote years ago titled the same… off I go to try and find it!
come fly with me …….high above the thousand forms of fear we all live with …..just for a moment….safe in the shelter that pure verbadge allows…..i am riveted,,,,,at the clarity with which you deliver truth