Skull Trap

By Sherry Bach

Why does my mind continually deceive me?

Feeling peaceful when it ought not to?

And creating anxiety at other times when it should be still

Day and night, night and day

I’m subjected to the false securities it wants me to believe

When will I learn not to follow?

To places where it leads me into destruction

Who will save me from this skull trap?

And the daily struggle of fixing my mind on things lovely, pure and worthy of praise

The thought to one day be separated from it

Is like cool water for my thirsty soul

For now, it lies to me and I want to believe

Ah! But I’m slowly developing the skill to catch it, to talk back

Bringing it into submission to the only one true security

And saying, “Yeah right! Look at what happened the last time I listened to you

Get back here you crazy mind!

You don’t mind at all. Why do we call you mind?

You’re like a defiant little brat child who wants to do everything it is told not to

Don’t think that. Where did that thought come from?

I don’t trust you, you’re not pure.

All you are is a central station

The common place where the phone lines ring

But your calls are being screened, don’t you know this by now?

You are your own worst enemy aren’t you?

Hoping that you will slip in one of your telemarketing calls

So you can make me think I’ve won a three day vacation without any cost

Ha! You fool!

Go back to where you came from

To the dust in the ground

You will never be good for my soul

Or lead me in the way everlasting.