The naked poet.

Give me the pen

and I will give you

the exhibitionist.

The naked mind in all its splendour,

the coverings of thoughts uncovered,

words exposed convey their true meanings

totally undressed from all minds travelled.

We are all nude in thought,

the moment we touch the paper,

we present ourselves all dressed,

but we are really stripping down

our very internal beings,

sliding down the pen

the gratification of words,

the richness of every occasion

of all good intentions and some bad,

I give you the naked mind.

I hear and see the naked truth

where the bed is for lying,

and the pen is for paper

or should I say the marriage of

pen to paper.

Goodnight all

for I shall now

put my thoughts in pyjamas,

the mind is getting chilly .

Reviews

[Vol]

Andrew,
That's an interesting take, and quite different from my own. When I write, I am a slave to the muse, and never know where she will take me. And sometimes she changes her mind in mid-stream. So, who is exposed? For me, poetry is not about the writer, it's not even really about the poem, it is about the reader who looks down and suddenly finds some part of themselves exposed and vulnerable because they've looked through x-ray glasses at themselves. A good poem is dangerous, full venom and flames, and when you're done reading it, you will never be the same... you will be naked and destroyed. I think words ought to sleep commando...
I think when we publish a poem, we look forward to exactly how much damage we have done and the responses we get are the evidence of how effective we were.
Vol

[andrew mitchell]

Thanks Vol. yes I see your point of view but gee it’s a tangled one for me, it’s a relationship with the reader, a platform for not only entertainment but a two way street for connecting thoughts if you get a review and of course building friendships/ following and visa versa. Great review Vol.

[Vol]

You are right... Being consumed by a poem automatically builds a bond with the poet, because we are made better by it. The venom and flames are necessary to remove misconceptions, self-delusions, and prejudice. Socrates said "The unexamined life is not worth living," and all of art, but especially poetry is like a lens to look through when we do.
Vol

[Fabian G. Franklin]

This was such a pleasure to read, witty and playful it regards the audience not in their proverbial underwear but mentally undressed. I hope it allays any stage fright the poet might have while stripping away his onion skin façade to bear his naked soul. I've heard D.H. Lawrence called the "Naked Poet" before. He certainly wasn't the shy reclusive type. Great write. F.

[andrew mitchell]

Thank you so much Fabian for a top review.

[Ken Simm.]

All my pyjamas have a label on them saying use only in case of fire. I think after reading this I will go and put them on. Excellent and I would like to be associated with the thoughts of the above person.

[andrew mitchell]

Thank you Ken I am honoured.

[Robert Trakofler]

he he I am not the sort to go about baring nothing... I'm entirely to modest and with a pinch of self disdain and years of body dysphoria and negative self image to boot:( yes I am relearning this aspect of myself but in small doses perhaps, for the sake of the viewers too mind you:) but I'll bare all on a sheet of paper i have all the courage in the world to pen myself every vile and lovely bit... clever lines Andrew but then I'm sorta getting used to that from you, you handsome devil

[andrew mitchell]

lol Thanks for the smile Robert and your kind words :) Still laughing.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

great ending...yes, we do bare ourselves....when we write...as Dickinson put it..we ride in a "chariot that bears the human soul"
and others can watch us, and do the same when the thoughts connect with theirs.
j.

[andrew mitchell]

Thank you J that was the word I was after we bare all. Cheers j.