Paint Brush
By TD
I keep my paint brush with me
Where ever I may go
In case I need to cover up
So the real me doesn’t show
I’m so afraid to show you me,
Afraid of what you’ll do – that
You might laugh or say mean
Things
I’m afraid I might lose you
I’d like to remove all my paint
Coats
To show you the real, true me
But I want you to try and
Understand
I need you to accept what you see
So if you will be patient and close
Your eyes
I’ll strip off all my coats real slow
Please understand how much it
Hurts
To let the real me show
Now all my coats are stripped off
I feel naked, bare and cold
And if you still love with all
That you see
You are my friend, pure as gold
I need to save my paintbrush
Though
And hold it in my hand
I want to keep it handy
In case somebody doesn’t
Understand
So please protect me, my dear
Friend
And thanks for loving me true
But please let me keep my paint
Brush with me
Until I love me too
52 Comments
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This poem really hit in a place of understanding for me. The pain of feeling ashamed of oneself and the need to cover it up to appeal to others is such a heartbreaking theme. I think that your specific portaryl of this pain is especially nuanced. You treat the reader as a close friend, one who you cant trust and depend upon to support you even when your feeling vulnerable. I loved how you did not end the poem with a statement that resolved your pain, I love how you acknowledge that life is not perfect that you still need to learn to accept yourself despite the love of another. Love is such a powerful thing, but it can’t fix all wounds no matter how much fairytales like to make us think that they do. coupled with love from others we have to learn to love ourselves. I really hope that you reach a point where you can love yourself, and I hope that you keep writing poems like this.
Hi, TD,
This poem means a lot to me personally because I’ve also been struggling with the concept of accepting myself, let alone revealing myself to others. I realized the validation has to come from me, from within, and that’s the journey I’m working on right now.
They say being vulnerable with people is how you build meaningful connections. It’s hard though. I want to thank you for showing yourself in your poetry and sharing it. You are brave and you are strong.
I really enjoyed your poem because a lot of other readers and myself are able to relate to your poem because sometimes we hide our true selves because we are afraid of judgement and we aren’t comfortable with who we are. You can tell how much emotion you put in your poem and how powerful your emotions are. My favorite line of your poem was, “I feel naked, bare and cold and if you still love with all you see, you are my friend, pure as gold.”, this is because even though we don’t feel comfortable at times, there are true friends who won’t judge us and who will love us even through our darkest moments and we cherish those friends forever. I loved this poem and it will forever stick to me because I relate to it so much. It also made me realize that sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone because there’s no better way to grow and it’s a new challenge. Even though it might be scary, it’ll be worth it. You are never alone. I wouldn’t change a single thing about this poem, it’s amazing.
This is such a beautiful poem, TD, and I think one that would resonate with a lot of people. So many of us are afraid of showing our true selves to the world, and so we hide under layers: of toughness, sarcasm, whatever it may be, just to avoid exposing ourselves to the world for fear we might be mocked. The Free Minds community supports you no matter what, and I hope you eventually feel comfortable revealing your true self to more people. I hope that you can love yourself too, because that is one of the most difficult things to do, but it is a beautiful and important goal.
Your poem reminded me of a famous poem by William Arthur Ward; I hope you like it.
Risk
To laugh is to risk appearing a fool,
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental
To reach out to another is to risk involvement,
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self
To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss
To love is to risk not being loved in return,
To hope is to risk despair,
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.
He may avoid suffering and sorrow,
But he cannot learn, feel, change, grow or live.
Chained by his servitude he is a slave who has forfeited all freedom.
Only a person who risks is free.
The pessimist complains about the wind;
The optimist expects it to change;
And the realist adjusts the sails.
William Arthur Ward
Thank you for sharing such a lovely poem about how you express your true identity, and how you might hide that same identity from the people around you. I love the analogy you made between the paint brush and your feeling of needing to hide. This is definitely a universal experience where people feel as though they need to portray themselves in different ways when they are around different people. This is all part of our process for discovering our identity, sharing it with others, and maturing.
Wow! This poem showed deep meaning with how to love yourself first. I can easily picture myself in this situation which is good because that means that other people can relate to your poem. It will take time to figure out who you are, and having a paintbrush to cover yourself is a good idea, but it’s hiding who you are. Continue to open up so you can find yourself and so others can meet you! This was an amazing poem and I hope you find a way to love yourself and not hide behind paint.
This is incredible! I want to say that you are no alone. So many are afraid to show people their true selves in fear people will hurt them or not understand. This is the best representation of this feeling that I have ever seen. I loved how you used paint as your way of hiding, but truly the art, your true self, is underneath all of the paint. I hope that you continue to push yourslef and peel layer away to allow people to get to know you. Surround yourself with people, minds, books, and things that represent what you really want in life. Each day continue to peel back the layers for yourself becuase you are worth loving. It won’t be easy, but one day I hope that you can put your paintbrush down for good. Please keep writing and sharing your story.
I love your using the paint brush as an analogy for having to cover up your true self to loved ones out of fear of rejection. The last line is particularly powerful as you reveal that your holding onto the paint brush is as much for your own safety and comfort as it is for theirs. It is a defense mechanism to protect yourself and others around you.
The paint analogy is perfect because paint can be washed off and reapplied. If you let it come off, your true self will be revealed. if needed you can repaint or take it off as needed.
Very lovely poem. The simple structure suits it- very to the point and the repetition of the word paint brush emphasizes its importance.
TD your poem was very deep and I really connected to it. For a long time growing up I was the same way I would hide myself from people afraid of what they would think of me. Even in college there are times where I feel like I need to hide myself but I no longer try to let that control me. Growing up like you said in your poem that once you show yourself to someone if they accept you then they are your true friend. If you show yourself to someone and they don’t like what they see then they are the ones missing out. One part that went along with this for me was wanting to make everyone happy and like me. Through the years though I have realised that I don’t need to make others happy more than I need to make myself happy. TD let me tell you it is difficult at times but I know you will be able to love yourself and let others see you for you because they will love who you are. I’m really happy you shared this poem. I know it’s not an easy thing to do. Your writing skills are very good and I hope you continue to keep doing it. I wish you well.
-Alec
This poem absolutely captures a very human struggle, and it resonated with me deeply. Thank you for being so vulnerable in writing this and giving us a glimpse of the real you.
This poem and the metaphor you use are beautiful. I love the message about real friends being people who love your true self. You deserve to love your true self as much as the person in your poem does.
This is wonderful. You write of the hiding we all do for fear we won’t be loved if we are seen. You are already special … your words tell me so. I wish for you to find people who see you, even through the paint. Keep writing. You speak to us all. And know that you are worthy of your own love. Thank you for this poem.
Thank you so much for inviting us into understanding your own creative projects and the way you use these creative inclinations to represent and speak to yourself and the world.
I really love your poem, VT. I love the idea of a paintbrush and coats of paint to talk about walls that people put up to protect themselves. It can be really hard to peel those coats of paint, but can also be very freeing. Thank you for sharing this, I really hope you continue to write!
The imagery and metaphors in this were stunning! This is something I think a lot of people also relate to. We all try and change to fit in better or get love from people we’re not sure would love us for the real us. As cheesy as it is, it reminds me of the quote “we accept the love we think we deserve” from The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Steven Chbosky. Sometimes these changes are harmless like using different slang or vocabulary with friends or in a professional setting, but sometimes it hurts us. Sometimes we change too much and forget who we really are. So I really loved this poem’s main ideas!
TD, I absolutely love this poem. It really digs deep into what people with mental health issues feel on a daily basis. The writing made me feel sorrow for the person who is having these troubles but also happiness to be able to reveal one’s true self to someone they care deeply about.
TD,
Thank you for taking the time to write this poem. It is difficult to come to terms with the realities of ourselves, especially the ones we consider ugly. Gaining the confidence and self-love to reveal our true selves is a difficult path. I wish you the best, and I am confident that you can do this when you surround yourself with people that support you.
KC
Dear TD,
This is such a creative poem! I love the use of the paintbrush metaphor, it is so clever. I love to paint, so the use of this metaphor really resonates with me. I think this poem is relatable to most people. We typically hide our true selves, especially with strangers, and slowly open up and uncover ourselves to those we truly trust and love. You express this message and emotion so well and so clearly, even through the use of a metaphor. You describe the pain and insecurity associated with this process in a beautiful way. I hope you, and all of us, can become more confident in loving ourselves! Thank you for this wonderful poem.
Best wishes,
Joyce
I love this poem! On the technical side, it has a powerful, consistent metaphor throughout, as well as metered rhyme that make it a joy to read. In terms of content and meaning, it hits the nail right on the head. The whole thing startled me a bit, but only because I’ve felt the exact way before about my relationship with others. As a beginner painter (mostly watercolor, but some acrylic), I have an appreciation for the way you thoughtful threaded this metaphor together. Thank you for providing a beautiful new lens to think through!
TD, this is a very powerful poem about being vulnerable that I relate to. Sometimes it is so hard to expose yourself and show others your true self in fear of being hurt. But those who truly love and care about you will accept you for exactly who you are.
TD, what a deep and touching poem! I know what it feels like to not belong somewhere, to conform to society but I am so glad you are slowly pealing your layers back. Continue to show the world your true colors, and you’ll find people who love you for you. I know It is scary to be vulnerable, so keep the paintbrush in your back pocket. Thanks for sharing, and keep writing.
TD, your poem leaves such a strong message. It is beautifully written and shows your emotions and feelings in a very relatable way. I love how you get to the point to be brave enough and remove your paint brushes to show the real you! That is truly a big step and I hope and I am sure that you will also be able to let go of the paint brush and love yourself! Please continue writing, I would love to see more of it.
Your poem really spoke to me about how people experience and give trust. It really goes to show that we never really show our true selves to everyone, but by peeling off our layers a little bit at a time we can open up to one another. The flow of your writing is beautiful, and it really sends a large message about trust and identity in such few words. I love this poem a lot, thanks for writing! 🙂
This is a really deep poem that is beautifully written. I liked your decisions on your spacing between different lines and words because it added emphasis on certain meanings. I also thought the rhythm was awesome and it flowed so well. The rhyme was also great and it was overall one of the best poems I’ve read. Thank you for sharing.
Hi TD, must I just say WOW in the fact that I too relate to this poem so much in my everyday life! I feel like in the world we live in, there is such a standard to how we live or look and sometimes it is hard to let your real self show because we do not want to be mocked by others. The use of the paint brush analogy is super interesting to me because I have never thought about how sometimes we “paint our best face” in order to look perfect in society! Again, I loved this poem and I encourage you to keep writing!
This poem is amazing!It absolutely resonated with me.The concept of identity and self-acceptance is one I have dealt with still deal with and this poem expresses that so well!Thank you for sharing!
TD, Wow, this was so incredibly powerful! I felt like I was sitting in a room with all your pain and fears and it was so moving. Your words resonated so much with me, because I too feel like I need and do wear paint coats to protect my true self from others, afraid that they won’t like the real me; to hope that someday a friend is willing to stay and help you peel back those layers. I struggle to express exactly how meaningful this poem was to me; absolutely beautiful.
The feeling of isolation, to hide away from others, we have all been there and felt the same way. Thank you so much for putting this poem out there, to show those that feel the same way, that they are not alone!
This poem resonates with me so strongly. You are not alone in these feelings, and I hope you find people who make you feel safe without your paintbrush.
The rhythm of this poem is so good! And the meaning behind it is understandable and deep. It is hard to love yourself and hard to allow other people to see the real you! Keep up the good work and don’t stop writing!!
Dear TD,
Thank you for sharing this poem– it definitely requires removing a few paint coats to write something like this, and that’s an act of bravery that deserves to be commended. I really liked the way that this poem was rhythmic and playful while also talking about a serious topic. The metaphor of paint covering up our true selves was so impactful, because paint can be vibrant and expressive, but you’re also right to say that it can conceal as well. Despite being about masks, this poem really gave me a sense of an authentic and unique voice behind it and that was inspirational to me– we could all use a bit more authenticity, and more safe places to be authentic, in daily life. Thanks again for sharing.
Best,
JM
Hi TD, your poem is beautiful. I love your metaphorical use of the coats of paint being the layers of who you are as an individual and your paintbrush being handy when you feel like there needs to be a safety net or barrier between you and others. You definitely made me teary eyed towards the end because I can relate to others loving me but needing to make sure that I’m loving me as well. Again, beautiful piece.
This poem does a really good job of catching emotion and trying to tell people who the real you is. I also really liked how the end talks about finding your true people and helping people love the real you.
Dear TD,
I connected with you when you shared that you carried around a paint brush wherever you go to hide the real you. Like you, I wanted to change the way I looked and acted based on the people I surrounded myself with and instead of being myself, I put on my own personal “paint coat” to hide the real me. I was afraid of being judged, but once I found the people who I could be comfortable around I carried my “paint brush” with me less and less. I believe that everyone has their own “paint brush” to keep others from seeing who they truly are, not just you or me. Self-love is a process and can take a long time to achieve, but once you start stripping off the coats of paint it becomes easier for people and yourself to accept the real you. Thank you for sharing with us how you felt. You made me and others feel less alone.
TD, I really enjoyed reading this as this is relatable to lots of people in the world! I really liked the comparison of a paintbrush to yourself and how paint “covers” up something. I feel like lots of people struggle with who they are and their true self and this poem makes everyone feel that they are not alone. I loved when you stated that you show the real when people understand you and that was deep! Loving yourself is something lots of people also struggle with, so thank you for sharing this!
Wow, this is such a good piece. That last line felt so hard and relatable for me. You’re a great writer and you hope you you are at a point or are getting to a point where you love yourself because you deserved to be loved. Incredible poem, it makes me want to read more of your works.
I like that you started with your poem with imagery. As I read your poem all I could think about was a paintbrush and the power that it has. I was tempted to read more and more as I kept reading. It was like a true story. I felt every emotion and every word. I cannot imagine what it is like having so many coats and having to put me on a new coat every time. I really enjoyed reading your poem and only want to keep reading more. Keep writing!
Hi TD, thank you so much for your poem, I really enjoyed it and related to it on so many levels. Opening up to people and showing my true self has always been something I have struggled with. Even though I know that my true friends and family would not judge me or hold something against me, it is still really hard to allow for me to allow myself to be vulnerable. I will continue to work on it and appreciate your poem for giving me encouragement and support!
I think this is a very powerful poem because it shows so much vulnerability. It is so hard to show your true self even amongst the presence of good or close friends. There is so much uncomfortability and shame sometimes associated with being that true, “naked” authentic self. And, even when all the coats are off, you still need to support and crutch- a paintbrush in your case- to feel fully secure. Even if you are strong and build about your insecurities, it’s still okay to keep the things you care about safe. Thank you for sharing. It was a beautiful way to put it.
TD,
There is a lot to unpack with your poem and your high writing skills show. All of us struggle with self-image and self-love at some point in our life because societal standards are high and constantly changing. We are all at least somewhat afraid of what other people think and it makes it harder to love ourselves. I think the way you portrayed your feelings through the example of a paint is a good way to get your point of view across to readers. Writing is a good way to express how you are really feeling in regards to any struggles, I encourage you to continue to keep writing. The way your poem is written makes me feel less alone in my personal struggle with self-love, as I’m sure it makes every other reader feel the same way.
Hello TD – thank you for writing this beautiful poem. I am in a college English class called writing and community, where we put an emphasis on interacting with the community outside of the university to enhance our learning and help them achieve their goals. I really enjoyed reading your poem, it was very full of emotion and well written. I think it resonated with me an many others because many of us can relate to how frightening and painful it can be to show people who you really are. I applaud you for being able to open up to some people, even if it is not all the way or all of the time. It is so hard to show people the real you without being afraid of judgement, especially when you do not fully love yourself. It seems you believe that a true friend will love you no matter what, but I am sure we all know these people are hard to come by. I sincerely hope you continue to write and express yourself through poetry. It seems like you have both a talent and a passion. I wish you good luck in the future!
TD,
This was so raw, real, and so, so relatable to so many of us. What struck me most was at the end when you talk about still having the paintbrush in your hand, in case you get hurt again…wow, wow, wow, that was just too real.
Thank you for expressing, with such a beautiful metaphor, feelings and thoughts that so many of us are afraid to express out loud.
Best.
Samantha
I too had to carry a paint brush. It was exhausting to constantly cover myself up. The paint stung while it was on my skin, as I’m sure it did for you. But it was either that or be stung by the cruelty of my peers. This was a relatable poem, great work.
This reminds me a lot of my high school self. I started coming out of my shell when I entered college and started making friends and keeping the friends who told me I do not need to change for them. I personally do not see why someone should change for someone else, yet high school friends and enemies may be cruel and force you to alter in order to avoid being criticized or tormented. Another difference between high school and college is that in high school, you have to keep up with the social standards.
TD,
I don’t think I have read a poem that was so raw. I could really feel how much you wanted to keep yourself covered. Many of us have more layers of paint on than we can imagine. Even when we show someone our true selves, we must still cover up from everyone else. I felt that that last section was so powerful. Acknowledging that one must uncover the layers of paint countless times throughout life is something I can relate to, and something that we as people don’t talk about enough. I love your poem.
JE
TD, this is a beautiful poem, and the way it portrays the struggle for self love is profound. The way we cover our selves up for the people around us, and the fear that others may reject what’s underneath is such a common human experience. I hope you keep writing TD, because the way you’ve expressed yourself in this poem is remarkable.
This poem is written very well; I like the paintbrush aspect. I think it’s okay to not want to be yourself sometimes but it’s also important to be yourself and not let others change you. It’s okay to be afraid to show your real self, you just need to find the right group of people to open up to. Being your true self might be hard but at least you are being true to yourself. If people don’t respect you for being you then that’s their issue, not yours. You got this and remember the best is yet to come!
I appreciate you sharing this beautiful poetry about how you express your true identity and how you could hide it from those who are close to you. I adore the comparison you drew between the paintbrush and your urge to hide. It’s good that I can easily see myself in this scenario since it suggests that other people will be able to identify with your poem.
Dear TD,
This is a beautiful poem. I loved your symbolic meaning behind the paint brush, using it as a metaphor to protect yourself and your emotions from your peers around you. I feel as though many people can relate to this idea you offered of having “coats” of paint that need to be stripped down in order to see your true self. I love the fact that you additionally used yourself as a metaphor for a piece of art in a bigger meaning, because we all know that when we look at a piece of art there is much more there than what we first may see or take away from it. Additionally, you used great rhyme schemes in this piece, which is difficult to do. It is hard to be completely vulnerable to the people around us because it is terrifying to think what might happen if they rejected a part of ourselves that needs extra compassion and sympathy. You wrote this poem beautifully, and I wish to see more work by you.
Best,
CB
Hi TD,
I really liked how well you connected a paintbrush to self-image. We all hide ourselves around new people and are scared to show our true selves. As you said, we somewhat paint ourselves and carry a brush around in case we need to hide. Your poem was extremely easy to connect to, as everyone feels these feelings. However, it’s important to come out of our shells and show our true colors. Thank you for writing about an important topic, and making it so relatable to an object we’ve seen before. I hope to read more from you soon.
Hi there!
This poem was extremely powerful and relatable. I love the metaphor of the paint brush and how it represents all of your layers. I think that so many people struggle with loving their true selves and in my opinion, even just finding out who the true you is, is a large battle and takes a lot of time. I hope you know that you aren’t alone in feeling this way, many people have a hard time showing their true selves, and anyone who can’t accept you for who you are, truly and Wholey, does not deserve to be a called a friend. Someone who truly cares will allow you to peel away all of your layers and will feel proud to have you in their life. I also would like to say that it takes time to accept who you are, everybody has their own timeline and there’s no right or wrong way to do it as long as you’re taking the steps. This journey is yours to travel in finding that out, and my hope for you and for anyone who struggles with this is that you will love who you are when you come out on the other side of this battle. Best of luck!
I LOVE THIS! Not only is this such a beautifully written poem it speaks to so many people. A paintbrush is such a beautiful image for hiding yourself. How you always have your guard up depending on who you are around. That at any moment you are ready to paint your mask on to hide. Eventually, you will truly find your people and won’t have to hide anymore. Keep looking but always have the guard up!