RADIATE LOVE by Jamie Burgess

This poem was inspired by a line in one of Rumi's poems: "Tear off the mask. Your face is glorious." 

It resonated with me deeply and so I had been pondering that idea; thinking about all the masks we wear to protect ourselves, to keep ourselves from having to be too vulnerable in the world. We basically walk through life playing a role, trading our authenticity for safety and approval. We all do it, to some extent. Yet in doing so, we also create distance between ourselves and others, even in the areas we don't want distance. It's a cushion from the things we are afraid of, yes, but it cushions us from all the beautiful things in life, too. We can't be truly seen with our masks on, and we can't fully see anyone else. The view is obscured. We cannot be fully loved and we cannot fully love anyone else. We are separated by these masks. We allow fear to divide us. 

With these masks on, we can no longer even see ourselves.  We get confused and begin to lose sight of our true identities. Fear starts to rule our hearts and our lives. We get comfortable hiding, opting to stay in the darkness as much as possible. It feels more secure. Yet, we forget that our nature is light...that we were born to shine brightly, to live wholly open-hearted, to breathe in and out freely; pure, unadulterated love basking in the glow of life. Humans. Being. When we get courageous enough to rip off the masks, to step out into the light, we see ourselves (and everyone else) as we truly are. Absolutely glorious!

"Arson" by Katarina Silva

Radiate Love

by Jamie Burgess

We are dimming our light

with these masks.

Tucked away,

so neatly.

Protected.

Hiding,  

chasing ghosts and shadows

in the darkness.

Losing touch

with our power.

Burning Daylight.

It is time.

To lift our faces

to the sun,

to watch the fear

turn to dust,  

to step into

the fullness

of who we are.

Divinity

wrapped in skin.

With courage in our pockets,

and our hearts on our sleeves,

allowing ourselves,

finally,

to be seen, 

we laugh.

we dance.

we dream.

And then comes

the night,

so full of magic.

We feel

stardust

coursing through our

veins,

and starlight

seeping from our

pores.

We feel

every

single

cell.

Radiating.

"Being Light" by Katarina Silva

Jamie Burgess is a wild, creative, adventurous heart. She is a mama, writer, doula, tree hugger, star gazer, devourer of books, adorer of music, and photographer-in-the-making. Her heart’s desire is to encourage and inspire others with her art and life. She is committed to living with courage, daily, and following her heart, always. You can connect with her on both Facebook here and Instagram here. 

~If you are interested in seeing your poetry appear in this blog, or submitting a poem by a woman that has inspired you, please click here for submission guidelines. I greatly look forward to hearing from you!~