two poems: mythologising the self

[kaberett]

When I tell you I am a monster
what I mean is

I do not think like you
I do not think like you expect me to.

Yes, I have claws and teeth
but I'm not the only one of whom that's true.

No--the difference is:
I am looking at you always slantwise
out of three--or four--or five eyes
my several selves considering
which ones to let you see.

[third couplet edited 2017-04-15]

Comments

[kaberett]

this isn't right, read in isolation from the story it's playing with; and some of that is because it reduces everyone else (and especially the reader) to a single dimension, which isn't at all what I am going for, but that is what I get for writing on the Tube. Which is the long way of saying -- please identify yourself with the speaker not the addressee, and expect it to get drastically reworked!

[fyreharper]

Did, in fact, identify with the speaker :) Or at least until the last stanza where identifying-with split into being from both directions? Both the manyselves and choosing what to show, and the knowing there is more than what is seen.

But then, we're all monsters from the right (or maybe wrong) angle, aren't we? Especially if monster doesn't have to equal scarybadthing (am oh so very fond of the Monster House series...). Which is sort of to say, this made me smile in recognition.

Am curious what story it is playing with... (storiiiieeesss)

[quirkytizzy]

Boom, boom, boom. Yes. This. Absolutely.

[syntaxofthings]

interesting! And oddly enough, yes, identified with the speaker; it was the "monster" part that definitely left an impression. And no, I do not think like you expect me to, Society. Kind of reminded me of something I've written before about how the self is many fragments/shards.

[raze]

*.*

I really like this, even if it isn't in its finalized form. Especially the last stanza. Seriously, great.

[silveradept]

I find it works quite well the way it is. That may be because I know others who identify as monsters, and would find that perspective true to their own. And that there is a fundamental change of viewpoint when you're not the monster, because the monster considers you the alien.

I like the poem and here is what it made me think of

[alexseanchai]

Junot Diaz. Monsters don't have reflections. The way to make people monsters is to deny them at the cultural level any reflection of themselves. Or some such thing.

[vass]

Ooh. I like this a lot.

[haleskarth]

I rather like this as it is, even if it is still considered a draft, and I can relate to it rather strongly.

[pretty_panther]

I think this is beautiful. I did identify with the speaker. It struck a chord with me :)

[crazyscot]

<3

[shehasathree]

omfg.
*clings to this poem*

[redsixwing]

I linked in from silveradept's roundup.

This is a lovely poem, and yes, right away I identify with the speaker, not the audience.

The middle two stanzas are perfect. <3

[kaberett]

Awww, thank you so much -- is super, super appreciated :-)