Login   Sign Up 



 
Archive » joanie » Work
Archive »  Poetry » General » Work

True Identity

by joanie 

Posted: 24 May 2004
Word Count: 139
Summary: I'm not sure about this one - I might disclose the 'story' behind it, but, at the moment, I am interested in any responses.
Font Size
 


Printable Version
Print Double spaced


The cry went up,
Preserve!
At all costs!
but in the midst of preservation,
there was destruction.
Destroy!
Rid yourselves of this
being which might
ultimately wipe you out.

Your love created her.
Your love will sustain her.
She will be the light of your lives,
your world, your union,
your very selves.

How can we destroy her?
Who are we to take your life away?
Who are you to take my life away?
Who are they to take your life away?

So Here I Am.
and what if…
what if I had only been an inch-long
curled-up being, then no more.
Would I still have had memories
of my world ?
Would I still have been me?

Would I still have been me?

Or someone else….
or nobody?
or somebody?

Who would I have been?

Who am I?






Favourite this work Favourite This Author


Comments by other Members



roovacrag at 22:08 on 24 May 2004  Report this post
I get feelings here.
Second stanza said a lot.
Third stanza said even more.

Liked the line

Would i still be me.
xxAlice
Helpful (0) Made Me Think (0) Made Me Smile (0) Pure Genius (0)

joanie at 21:46 on 25 May 2004  Report this post
Thanks, Alice and Nell. Thank you for the link too. Yes, you are absolutely right, Nell. It's about a potential termination of pregnancy. Thank you for your comments.
joanie.
Helpful (0) Made Me Think (0) Made Me Smile (0) Pure Genius (0)

tinyclanger at 13:27 on 26 May 2004  Report this post
Powerful stuff, Joanie,quite hard to comment on in some ways.
I thought the criss-crossing of points of view was very effective, shows the complexity of the situation and the confusion.

The structure of the piece is interesting too, the first stanzas dealing with the pros and cons, the 'before' situation..and then the final section, brought down to the individual, very much the 'after'. Very different in tone and feeling..poignant reflections of the nature of the self and how fragile it is..and that final line. I was left wondering Is this a confusion that was already there, just heightened by the knowledge, or is this a part of the reaction to finding out what almost happened....?
And indeed, how do we know what 'me' is and where it starts....?
A piece that challenges.
x
tc
Helpful (0) Made Me Think (0) Made Me Smile (0) Pure Genius (0)

joanie at 23:42 on 26 May 2004  Report this post
tc - thanks for responding. I know; it's difficult (impossible!) to comment. The fact is that my mother, having had a heart condition all her life, was advised to terminate the pregnancy when she was expecting me. She (obviously!!) refused. I often wonder ... "what if..?" Would I still have been me, or nobody? She went on to live until she was 82! ... but my mind starts to spin when I start to wonder... it certainly does challenge. It is only as I get much older that I realise that my parents must have had quite a decision to make!

Apologies!! I am expecting you to comment, when really all I am doing is getting myself 'sorted'!

Many thanks, Alice, Nell and tc.

joanie
Helpful (0) Made Me Think (0) Made Me Smile (0) Pure Genius (0)

tinyclanger at 10:19 on 27 May 2004  Report this post
Joanie, don't apologise for that...what else do I do in some of my stuff? Poetry is a fine way to tussle and throw things about..and far from being the struggle of an individual, what usually comes out is comments on the nature of self - something others can readily identify with. It goes beyond the personal..into 'everyman' if you like..
Good Stuff!
x
tc
Helpful (0) Made Me Think (0) Made Me Smile (0) Pure Genius (0)


To post comments you need to become a member. If you are already a member, please log in .

 






Other work by joanie:      ...view all work by joanie