100 TC #13 - Sorrow

Hello friends :) For number 13 of the 100 Themes Writing Challenge, I have decided to do a poem, which is a first for this writing challenge. I thought it would do a change from the usual short stories, I hope you still enjoy it ;) This piece is inspired by Oscar Wilde's Picture of Dorian Gray, though is not about it directly nor about the characters :P Let me know what you think and as usual, thank you for reading :) 

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- SORROW -

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Hide your sins behind that dusty painting on the shelf

Where cloaked in a shroud of lies is the disgraceful truth

Which you try to keep and relive in a long gone youth

The worst of lies; ‘tis the one you keep telling yourself

Just like Dorian sold his soul to the forces of evil

For all of his dreams and desires to come true

You keep yours secret and out of sight; unreachable

Consuming your being up to the very core of you

Where all do see but a smiling face; I see the hidden tears

Behind a wall of fake happiness you made for yourself

Built so strong you have fooled your mind and all of your fears

Thinking no one would see what is on the portrait itself

Keep blaming this world for the cause of your sorrow

Saying it was not built for you, for the desires you hide

But know you can make your very own tomorrow

If you stand your ground and follow your own tide

Temptation is not there only to taunt you, it is your way

For the lore of the cursed painting taught us there is no riddance

And it is not worth fighting; not yielding is leading you astray

So listen to your heart, shut out your brain and take a chance

What you think is unreasonable is the truth you desire

Trying to hide it is only wronging you, carving scars

In your own portrait, the one you hide which sees you suffer

So stop denying what you really want and break the bars

All you will get from staring at yourself is death

And there is no hiding the truth from the eye of empathy

Just like the picture of Dorian saw him take his last breath

I shall see your sorrow hidden in smile until your last breath

That is unless you decide to make destiny your own

And break these sinful chains that bind you to what you assume is right

A righteousness which will cause pain long after you are gone

A lie only yourself were fooled with; as that painting lives in the night

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(C) Copyright 2014 Hope Alexander aka David Giroux for the text
Picture found here