Make Believe

Plastic mannequins playing cards
While wax figures melt away
Lego houses with Barbi doll toys
This is the path of loneliness
leading to the path of the crazy
Where has time gone?
Wake up to what’s real
Let time be stole no more

Pain is what separates you
from the plastic soldier
Melt the plastic
Recycle
and rejoice
in the splinters
for you are alive

Now live.

9/29/09
Copyright © 2009 Brian Jackson All rights reserved


I really haven't written much lately. I suppose my new position has had my mind overly occupied as of late. This poem may seem a little odd to post. My meditation here is on the trappings of creating "make believe" worlds to give us the illusion of intimate satisfaction. I remember seeing a documentary on Michael Jackson and he had these wax figures and mannequins he would keep in his room. My first reaction was "this guy is a psycho", but then I thought about how sad this was. Here is a guy who had millions of people that "loved" him and longed to be with him. Yet, he was so lonely that he surrounded himself with imaginary friends. From my own perception, I imagine that "real" people are not trustworthy. They cause hurts, disappointments and the like. In this age of facebook, blogs, myspace etc. there can be the temptation to be satisfied with a sort of cyber friendship, while distancing ourselves from those around us. I think these are great tools to enhance relationships, meet new friends or just to keep in touch. Perhaps for most people this has strengthened friendships. I am glad we have these tools, but at the same time let's not lose site of what's real. All that being said, let's not lose site of our One True Friend. Let's not lose site of our families. Another relationship that is critical is our local church. You can't find church online or through sermon downloads. We are instructed to "not forsake the assembling our ourselves together". The local church is what Christ uses to keep us accountable, to establish real, true and intimate relationships. Other relationships are great, but let's not forget the intimate relationships where God has chosen to intertwine us. Here is where people can see the "real you" and maybe therein lies the hesitation.