Is there such a thing?
Is there a way to control my
self, my desires, my
inclinations, my thoughts,
my actions?
Is it possible to bring
discipline and order to this
chaos of a soul, this being, this
person? Even if there were,
why would I want to do this?
I like the chaos. I am chaos, and
I’m loving it. Gratify me.
You’re talking a strait-jacket,
right? Like a rope tightening around
my heart , binding me,
or a coffin-like box to
empty my mind into. Or some
nasty diet I use to
self-flagellate myself into
self-control.
Not me, baby, not me. Ain’t
natural, ain’t normal. It’s about
my wants, my urges, my needs, my
power. Period. End of discussion.
Congress gets it; why not you?
A good thing?
Right. If self-control’s not about me,
then who?
It’s always all about me.
Just ask my self-esteem.
What? Not me? Others? What?
I control myself to
let others live?
I submit myself to
let others be free?
No one ever said such foolishness.
No one ever told me such foolishness.
Before.
I never thought it would simply
be an invitation to accept,
a question to answer yes,
a decision to surrender
what did not matter anyway, really.
No one ever said this.
No one ever told me this.
Before.
(To see other posts on self-control, visit the One Word Blog Carnival over at Bridget Chumbley's place.)
22 comments:
good
good
good
Hi Glynn, absolutely brilliant and would work so well in my darkened series - I'm jealous I wish I'd written it. Pete
I control myself to
let others live?
Wow. I trust you don't mind that I deleted the question mark when jotting this down on the slip of paper I just taped at my desk.
"A decision to surrender what did not matter anyway."
Truth so very well said...
I could hear the bongos in the background on this one ... :-)
Brilliant.
really really like it.
Many excellent lines in this poem, Glynn. I like how you use vernacular, how the narrator has an excuse for everything so that even when pushing against being about "me" the poem is always about "me". The ultimate excuse.
Satirical poetry. Yes.
"Congress gets it" - this line made me laugh. "I submit myself to let others be free?" - this line stopped me. My submission could let others be free. Going to write this in my journal. Enjoyed this a lot.
Wow, Glynn. This one had me laughing and pondering all at the same time.
thinking "wow, wow, wow," too ...
Very powerful Glynn!
Glynn, lots of good thoughts!!!
and what we gain is so much sweeter than what we lose.
Loved this post. (Even though I am picturing you in a smoky beatnik bar wearing a black beret and reciting it while snapping your fingers.)
"Snapping my fingers" Excellent poem bro'
Peace,
Jay
Excellent! Thank you for sharing! Blessings!
Just great, Glynn. I loved this one!
Perfect Glynn. This paradox - this surrendering to find freedom. We struggle so against it, and it is really just exactly what we need.
It’s always all about me.
Just ask my self-esteem.
Wow! Great thoughts, Glynn. Thanks!
"I control myself to
let others live?
I submit myself to
let others be free?"
This speaks deep to me right now. I can't say how yet. But it goes deep.
One of you comments is something I've been pushing for some time: the self-esteem vs. self-control. What days we live in! Thank you.
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