The Cloak of Shame/Freedom

You wore the cloak of shame

Like a devoted king wears his well-embellished surcoat

Stuck on your skin since birth, it became your name, your identity

You wore the cloak of shame

Since you were an innocent little human

The cloak’s hard texture provided you with a strange, familiar comfort

You had to convince yourself with all your being

You had to wear it alone as it was yours to carry

It became your friend and loyal ally

Softer than the teddies you used to sleep with at night

it gave you refuge, sanctuary and a sense of belonging

In a world filled with white lies

It served you as the strictest of teachers

An invisible finger pointing at you behind your back

Keeping you on track

Keeping you in line

Your velvety cloak, though invisible, was always there

A quite presence in your “No’s”, and tantrums

In your rebellions and outcry

In your depression and exhilaration

In moments of ease and rest

In the chasing of your dreams and desires

An old invisible cloak smelling of cigarettes and stained alcohol

From times far gone

this cloak, was gifted to you with a plea from your ancestors

“please hear our message, and set you free”

One day in your adult life.. a whisper arrived beyond the cosmic veil. The wind

grabbed your heart for a moment and ceased your gaze

It shows you all the beauty around you

And you knew then… It is time to say goodbye to your cloak of shame

You thanked it for all the protection and hard work its done for you.

You needed no more its help or assistance

Tears began flowing down your cheeks… tears of grief and liberation

The unspoken pain was finally set free,

Like caged birds discovering their wings for the first time

You surrendered fully to the tsunami of angst and pain that needed to surface

The wind was wiping your tears with most tremendous respect and dignity

You begin swirling at the speed of the wind, moving your body

Like the helix of the DNA- it became an unfolding of some sort

A deep sorrowful yet liberating unravelling…

The dizziness paused

and you lay bare on the ground, with no cloak of shame…

a newfound cloak of love and self-compassion was all-enveloping

like a foetus waiting to be loved anew..

Your dream was showing you a circle of your ancestors gathered in a circle, dancing in joy

For, you heard their plea…

Re birthed, you close your eyes… and fall asleep..

The wind covered you with your new visible cloak

The cloak of freedom