Bones Survive, Pilgrimage in Search of Self 2

Image: Looking out the window from the plane into the dark night.

Procrustean dismemberment* of self

I was little
Yet I knew
In my bones

A ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’
Confused me utterly
Into silence

Don’t they know?
Can’t they see?
Can’t they tell?

Must I choose?
How?
I bit the bullet, I was a ‘good’ little boy!

Ouch!

* See comment 1

2 comments:

Marcel Baaijens said...

A Greek Myth:

Athens is the political, cultural and commercial centre of the world for the Greeks. The road to Athens is the road to success. If you want to travel to Athens you have to pass by Procrustus and his bed. He will place you on his bed to see if you fit.

If you are too big he will dismember any bits that did not fit. If you are too small he will stretch you till you do. Once you fit in his ‘bed’ you were allowed to continue on the road to Athens.

But what if your destination was not Athens…?

Annie said...

What a great comment about being shaped. You shaped yourself, I assume, deflecting that Procrustean question?