Teddy Bear God
A Poem
When you’re young and small,
And the world big and scary,
And you’re only three feet tall,
And your food mostly dairy.
When all you know is a few words,
And bedtime is at six;
And you are startled by flying birds,
And mom’s kiss is a quick fix.
When playmates meet but once in a while,
And you are all alone,
You need a companion to make you smile:
Someone your very own.
So at night you cuddle with teddy bear,
Or maybe a tiger or a doll,
That’s something that doesn’t scare;
It’s not too big or small.
In this constant companion you trust,
And it’s alive in your mind,
Carrying it around everywhere is a must,
A better friend you’ll never find.
With teddy you can talk and play or fight,
And tell it all kinds of stuff,
And teddy will play with you day or night,
And never say, ‘that’s enough!’
As you grow older and go to school,
Teddy stays back in your bed,
Take it with you and you’ll be the fool;
Teddy lives only in your head.
You make new and real friends,
And with them more time you spend,
And later with teddy you make amends,
And he is still your best friend.
But a day comes when dear old teddy
Is just a stuffed toy from your past,
And friendship that was once so steady
Is no longer quite as fast.
Teddy was never a real friend;
Merely a tool to help you cope,
It was there for but one end:
To quieten fears and bring you hope.
And now that it has done its task,
It can easily be discarded,
Love from you it cannot ask,
Or friendship once fiercely guarded.
So dear teddy is thrown out;
Real friends take its place,
You have grown so there is no doubt,
Nor a tear on your face.
God, too, is just a tool, you see?
When you’re young and small,
And the world big and scary,
And you don’t think you know it all,
And of all things are wary,
When you don’t know why you’re here:
And what you’re meant to do,
And it’s this unknown that you fear,
And all other unknowns too.
When you need answers from another:
You haven’t your own,
You’re told by father or mother:
You are never alone.
So at night you pray to a god,
To deliver you from all your fears
The idea doesn’t seem too odd,
It brings peace and the mind clears.
As you grow up your focus turns
From seeking god to finding self,
That is the time when one learns,
Each man is a god unto himself.
As you move on on the inward way,
And peace is rather found within,
God is not needed from this day,
And your true spiritual journey begins.
