Strip away the student council,
The athletics, the arrogance.
Not one soul beside you, supporting
You before the void.

Strip away the trendy clothes,
The affected strut, the practiced slang.
Not one emblem to complement
Your person, naked amidst the throng.

Strip away the friends,
The support, the popularity.
Not one shoulder to lean on,
Faced with an uncertain future.

Strip away, at long last,
Thought itself - live by impulse.
Not one accepted idea or action,
Predetermined by the status quo.

Strip away all this, and
Go bare before the harsh winds
Of the world. Do this,
And you will discover at last.

At last, you will see me.