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18.0k · Jul 2018
What if....
Mateah Jul 2018
What if every little thought
That lives inside your head
Instead of hiding away in there
Was spoken out, was said?

Would you be embarrassed?
Would you hate your mouth?
Would you rather be mute
Than let the truth come out?

What if every little thing
That people thought of you
Instead of being tucked away
Was heard, was listened to?

Would you be ashamed?
Would you cover your ears?
Would you rather be deaf
Than let the truth come near?

And what if every image
That passes through your thoughts
Was freed from its prison
To roam until it rots?

Would you be disgusted?
Would you look away?
Would you rather be blind
Than see your thoughts at play?
3.5k · Jul 2018
Individual Love (I)
Mateah Jul 2018
A love that does not compare
One to another
Is a love that will outlast and outlive
Any other
2.2k · Apr 2021
Roots
Mateah Apr 2021
"In order to achieve success, you need a little luck"

While true for some, I do believe
That as roots grow down, we grow up

Roots may not stick out
In the eye of the beholder,
But they allow the fruit to sprout
And make branches that stand shoulder to shoulder

Dig in deep where none can see
Your roots are what will reign you
And when you're finally a tree
Remember what sustains you

Success is not a four-leafed clover
Or three sevens in a row
It's digging over and over and over
Then refusing to let go

It's choosing soil and sticking to it
No matter what may come
It's built by sweat; it's built by grit...
And a healthy amount of sun
🌞︎
2.0k · Nov 2022
Simple & Sweet
Mateah Nov 2022
"You're so sweet!" "What a cutie!"
Is that the best you can do?
Those are defaults and fillers
I don't want to hear that from you
I want you to point out the things
That the general public don't see
The sides to me that surprise you
Normally masked by timidity
You get to see my lion
But still recognize my lamb
Tell me I'm so much more
Than strangers might think I am
There is a fervid spirit in me
But it's cloaked in a subtle attire
While the entire world calls me simple and sweet,
I need you to call me
A wildfire.
1.4k · Aug 2020
Difference
Mateah Aug 2020
Some people long to be famous
To stand out in the crowd
They long for money and riches
To spend their lives in the clouds

Some people want only comfort
To live their lives in peace
Steady income, cozy house...
That life is not for me.

I want my story to be radical
To scream with the unexpected
Though every page may be a struggle
The end has already been written and perfected

I want my song to be revolutionary
The voice of Love in action
Every lyric will take the broken
And fill them with fiery passion

I want every conversation
To be filled with infallible truth
So that people leave encouraged, uplifted
All anxiety, for the moment, soothed

I want to live a life of faith
Eyes closed, hands held high
It'll be hard at first, I may start out low
But I know I'll end with God on High

Some people long to be famous
To stand out in the crowd
But while they sleep in the clouds
I'll be wide awake on solid ground

I don't need popularity
Or everyday life persistence
I want an unexplainable life
I need to make a
DIFFERENCE
1.3k · Jul 2018
The Line
Mateah Jul 2018
There is a line                           
                                             That none dare to cross
On one side is riches                                       
                                      On the other is loss

The thing that stops them
Strikes fear like a wraith
It's the "truth" of deception
In those who have faith

One side is worse                                   
But ignorance is bliss                                          
                          ­              You cannot cross over
                                                            ­Or in your next life you'll regress

In                there          no        
       reality                is          line

The            line     ­  within
only           is    

The line has been caste
                                                    down
But
the­y
ignore
its
abolishment
DISCLAIMER: I do not mean to offend anyone by this poem or the meaning behind it. Poetry is raw, which means it can be harsh too. The way I speak of Hinduism in this poem could be considered harsh, and I apologize if it does.
EXPLANATION: Okay, so this poem is inspired by the caste system of India which is heavily based on Hinduism. The caste system basically places a person in a caste (or social grouping) based on the family they are born into. The system says that you cannot change your caste (i.e. if your father was a soldier, you have to be a soldier). If you do try to change your caste, it is considered bad karma; you may become a lower being or lower caste in your next reincarnation. The caste system used to be enforced by law, but was legally abolished in 1949. However, due to it being a religious practice as well, it is still upheld by many people in India (specifically the more rural areas). With this poem my goal was to sum up the state of some of the Hindi people of India in relation to the caste system.

P.S. Sorry for the essay! :)
1.3k · Aug 2020
Little Birdies
Mateah Aug 2020
Life is full of little birdies
Whispering here and there
They sing and dance and flutter about
Overly eager to share
1.2k · Mar 14
You're a "Me"
Mateah Mar 14
It’s amazing how another human
Can change the way you see.
When you really know somebody else
You’ll find that they’re a “me.”

You find out that the thoughts they have
Are also never ceasing.
And the list of things you learn from them
Will always be increasing.

You learn their inner monologue
As if it were your own,
You hear the fine print of their brain
In their voices pitch and tone.

This person is as detailed
As you know yourself to be.
Their story is as known to them
As the wind is to a tree.

A being who can ponder
Who can think beyond the concrete.
The vast expanse of ideas in one mind
Makes the body seem obsolete.

The depth of all reality,
Something immeasurable,
Is captured in the inner workings
Of this thing that is a soul.

A person who was just someone
Can become much more than “he,” or “she.”
You’ve truly grasped some wisdom
When you see that person as a “me.”

And even more enlightening
Are the thoughts that might occur
When you contemplate that there are
8 billion “Me,”s on this earth.
1.1k · Jul 2018
A Feather... Or a Wing
Mateah Jul 2018
When alone
It drifts silently to the dust
When joined
It soars through violent wind gusts

When alone
It is frail, and if pressured, will break
When together
Not one will you easily take

When alone
It is considered extremely light
When connected
They carry an eagle in flight

When alone
A feather is still a unique and beautiful thing
But when united
They transform into a stunning, powerful wing
We're stronger together. This is just a simple analogy of that well known wisdom.
934 · Dec 2019
Indifferent
Mateah Dec 2019
I’m here.
I exist.
There’s nothing to resist.
I’m not happy, not sad.
I don’t remember how it feels to be mad.
I’m not melancholy. Not depressed.
Not thinking about what comes next.
Just here. Just existing.
So please stop insisting
That I’m upset or unstable.
I'm just sitting at an internal table.
Watching life happen with an unattached view.
Don’t worry, I’m fine.
It passes with time.
No, it wasn’t you.
I promise, I’ll be okay.
I just can’t feel today.
But... it’s better this way.
It’s just my mental defense.
No I’m not tense.
I’m indifferent to everything.
Yes, everything.
I’ll be fine tomorrow.
I promise it’s not sorrow.
Just let me be today,
and tomorrow you’ll see I really am okay.
I wrote this while having an episode of derealization. If you don’t know what that is, it’s basically when you detach from reality (although much more scientific than that). This is more than just “zoning out.” Its almost like a dream. It’s having the inability to feel absolutely anything. Often times my senses feel muffled. Everything just seems fuzzy, distant, and unreal. Indifferent is the only word I’ve found to describe how I feel in the moment accurately, because every other word I’ve tried implies emotion, and there is none during a derealization episode. Sometimes when this happens I don’t recognize my own body as me. It seems like I’m trapped inside a foreign body just watching life happen. My body goes into auto pilot and acts normal, so usually no one even notices. However, sometimes if it’s a really strong derealization episode, even my body doesn’t function properly and I seem withdrawn and depressed. This poem is supposed to be me reassuring someone who sees me in that extreme state that I will be okay. That I’m not depressed, not mad, not sad, etc. But that I just need time for this feeling (or more like lack there of) to wear off. I wanted to write it with an air of patience, due to my inability to be annoyed by people’s questions while I’m experiencing it.
871 · Sep 2018
Some People Say
Mateah Sep 2018
Some people say that they see God.
I don't understand. How can that be?
God is not a physical person,
He's greater than any entity.

Some people say that they hear God.
I don't understand. How can that be?
His voice is too vast and mighty
To be tuned to a small enough degree.

But now that I HAVE seen and heard,
I know the truth behind these words.
The truth that all of the earth
Shows His Glory and sings of His Worth.

So go outside and listen.
Look around and see
The beauty of Creation
The wonder of His Majesty

I see Him in the fiery sunrise.
I hear Him in the laughing Lamb.
I feel, in every breath of wind,
The presence of the great I Am.

The beauty of a flower.
The detail in a leaf.
The indescribably complex order
That makes up every animal and beast.

Some people say there is no God.
I don't understand. How can that be?
I have no doubt that He exists
Just by looking at a budding tree.
DISCLAIMER:
I am religious (obviously). So this poem reflects a bit about my journey in Christianity. I will probably share several poems on here that are Christianity focused. I don't mean to offend anyone by anything I say in any of my poems. I hope those of you who share my faith enjoy this, and I hope those of you who don't find it at least interesting! :)
795 · Feb 2019
Growth
Mateah Feb 2019
Perfection is a goal
No man can truly claim
Growth is a goal
Any man can attain

Strive for perfection
And you'll be aggravated
Stride towards improvement
And you'll be appreciated
Just a little encouragement. No one's perfect, and it's useless to set a goal you can never reach. Try to improve and grow. Don't set your focus on perfection or you'll consistently let yourself down.
751 · Aug 2018
Simplicity
Mateah Aug 2018
It's wonderful to see
The mountains, strong and tall
An eagle taking flight
Or the colors in the fall

But why do we not notice
The beauty in the little things?
Things that we see every day
That are simple, yet amazing

A flat field of grass...
Makes my heart run free
Even a single breath of wind
Stirs the life within me

So when you dream of jungles
But wake to find just one tree
Look closer and you'll realize
There's beauty in simplicity
Sometimes in life we need perspective. We need to see the bigger picture. But there are also times when we need to look CLOSER to see what we missed before. For the perfect example: a snowflake. You see a snowflake fall from the sky and it looks like a blob. But when you take the time to examine the snowflake, you see the incredibly ornate pattern that it creates. Look closer. See something beautiful in something you thought was a blob.
662 · May 2020
Terror
Mateah May 2020
The chill crawls up my spine
Its tendrils of fingers intertwine
I walk a never ending line:
Anxiety that goes on

I stumble forward, determined but weak
I can’t remember how to speak
But from my mouth: a mournful shriek
Will there be a dawn?

Whispers begin to fill the air
They come and go from nowhere
Were they even real? Is nothing there?
Fear has a reek

What brought me to this dark place
What set me on this eternal race
What being or spirit, what face?







Ah, it’s finals week.
A little humor to end off finals week for some of us :) who knew one week could feel so long...
654 · Jul 2018
Maybe
Mateah Jul 2018
Maybe a smile is only as big as it needs to be
To hide the pain within its history...
Sometimes the faces with the biggest smiles are attached to the people who have the most tears to hide. Not always, of course, but I do think that a lot of the time, this is true.
607 · Oct 2018
Mountains
Mateah Oct 2018
If you ever climb a mountain
There's something you shouldn't do
Do not stay at the peak of the mountain
Simply because of the view

You can stay there for a little bit
Enjoy it while it lasts
But when the time comes
Let the past be the past

If you hold on to a moment
Till you've held on far too long
You'll miss the enjoyment of today
And that moment becomes a worn out song

So if you dwell in the past
Let go and move on instead
Once you look forward you'll realize
There are only more beautiful mountains ahead

As you move on you'll want to look back
At the things that you've come over
The peaks, the creeks, the valleys,
The glaciers, the rivers

Look back. That's okay!
Take a minute to reflect
Your past can help you prepare
For what might be coming next

While you're looking though, be careful
With how your time is spent
Because every moment looking back
Is one less step towards your next ascent
I've gone through a struggle of not letting go of my past. Most people have a hard time letting go of the bad stuff in their past, but I think just as many people have a hard time letting go of the good stuff. We spend too much time admiring the "good old days" and wishing we had them back. It keeps us from fully experiencing the "now" and from truly moving forward. I'm not saying to forget everything you ever experience. It's perfectly okay to fondly reminisce about good memories or to every now and then cry about bad ones. Just don't DWELL in your past experiences.
585 · Sep 2020
Periphery
Mateah Sep 2020
There’s a lot we don’t understand
Our worlds are shrouded in mystery
But wisdom is close at hand
When we give credence to our periphery
567 · May 2020
Untitled
Mateah May 2020
Love leads to pain.
There is no way around it.
People change or leave or die...
...and your soul’s throat feels slit.















But even if love were a prison
With this lethal injection as my destiny
Should someone discover how to make it...
...I would still refuse the key.
This is a draft that I’m pretty sure I’m going to add to eventually. However, I kind of like this version of it so I thought I’d just go ahead and throw it out there. I think a lot of people could relate to this one.
550 · Jul 2018
Obstacles Await You
Mateah Jul 2018
Obstacles await you
They're all along your path
Accept them as challenges
Don't glare at them in wrath

What are obstacles, really
But adventures in disguise?
Every adventure comes
With the risk of demise

Great adventures await you
They block and bar your way
Will you greet them with a smile?
Or will they taunt you day by day?

Don't let an obstacle control you
Don't sit down and sigh
Just call it an adventure
And know that you'll get by
Definitely a Dr. Seuss vibe in this one. It would fit right in with "Oh, the Places You'll Go". I hope you enjoy It!
487 · May 2020
?
Mateah May 2020
?
What if this entire world
Was only just a dream?
If everything you said and did
Was never heard or seen?
394 · May 2020
...
Mateah May 2020
...
If I do have wisdom,
Why can’t I recognize?
And if I don’t know that it’s wisdom,
Well... am I even wise?
Just thinking.... if you have an answer or opinion on this please share it!
Mateah Sep 28
In the hum drum and the toil
In the itch of daily life
As we each till our own soil
Carefully avoiding each others' strife
We go to and fro enjoying
The comfort of monotony
And take pride in our employing
The right of autonomy

We take little heed of shadows
And the artwork they display
Or the fluffiness of clouds
As they drift along their way
We forget to thank our knees
As we bend to take a seat
Or admire the flowing streams
In the hardwood beneath our feet

It takes substantial effort
To see the inches in the miles
But there's something striking in them
That I think you'll find worthwhile
Take notice of the details
Don't be blind to little things
When life feels all too big
Just practice noticing
I've found this makes my life feel much less chaotic. Noticing details helps ground me, make me more thankful, and helps me realize the insignificance of most of my problems. Haha.
319 · Dec 2019
Individual Love (II)
Mateah Dec 2019
A love that learns to see
The individual
Is a love that sees the whole
Not their residuals
307 · Sep 18
Just a Crush
Mateah Sep 18
I wouldn't call it love
What I felt when I first met him
But I certainly felt something
Which I quickly wrote off as whim
A tickle in my chest
That inched down to my fingertips
Then made its way back up
To raise the corners of my lips

It wasn't all that special though
I've had crushes before
If you're looking for a sappy tale
You'll have to look some more
Love came in like all other fancies
A hint of what could be
Who knew that in such little time
It would progress so differently

I don't think love is blatant
It has no trumpet fare
One day while you aren't looking
It just sneaks in and pulls up a chair
So maybe next time you feel
A small tickle or your face flush
Remember every great love story
Starts with "just" a crush
I really enjoyed writing this one :)
I also have found that I write a lot of poems that end in "So..... Remember....." But I love the way those words help me bring the words to a clear conclusion that is simple and sticks with you.
148 · Oct 26
Understand
Mateah Oct 26
I sense the silent tears
Shed for those you've lost
The memories behind your eyes...
It breaks my heart to watch
I wish that I could take your place
Or steal away some weight
But there's nothing I can do
That will give you an escape

I may never have experienced
The things that cause you pain
But through the gift of human empathy
I feel them all the same
So in sorrow and in heartbreak
I am here to hold your hand
And while I may not be able to relate
I can always understand
Wrote this for my friend going through a breakup, but I've toyed with this concept for a long time. I hate when people believe they can't comfort someone just because they've never experienced the exact scenario that person is going through. You don't have to be able to relate in order to understand and empathize.

— The End —