A Strange and Fragile Creature

Summary

The web content is a reflective poem and accompanying commentary that explores the theme of embracing one's unique strangeness and fragility, inspired by a passage from Ottessa Moshfegh's novel "Death in Her Hands."

Abstract

The poem "A Strange and Fragile Creature" delves into the paradox of human nature, where strength and fragility coexist. The author, Jonathan Greene, expresses a personal journey of self-acceptance, acknowledging the oddities and vulnerabilities that make up his identity. Despite societal pressures to conform to ideals of perfection, the poem celebrates the beauty of individuality. The inspiration for the poem is traced back to a specific passage in Moshfegh's novel, which resonated with the author and sparked a creative outpouring. The poem is accompanied by a photograph and a snippet from the novel, providing context to the reader, and is followed by a link to another related poem by the same author.

Opinions

The author views his personal quirks and vulnerabilities as valuable aspects of his identity, contrary to cultural expectations of perfection.
There is a recognition that while one may present a tough exterior, the true self is delicate and susceptible to harm.
The author expresses a shift in perspective, from hiding his strangeness and fragility to embracing them as a unique gift.
The poem suggests that authenticity and self-acceptance are more fulfilling than striving for an idealized version of oneself.
The author is inspired by the act of reading and the emotional connection to words, which can trigger a creative response.

A Poem

We all like to feel strong, at least for a time The time when we need that to feel better about our place in this upside-down world and even on days when I can feel my strength in spades I’ve still come to realize that I am a strange and fragile creature

A hodgepodge of personal oddities and hysteria-fueled quirkiness make my strangeness feel just right when I stand back, from the outside, and look at myself from afar Such a fragile little being encased in a hardened shell protected from life by a flak jacket

Bulletproof on the outside but porous in all my true parts I hold up an ideal, or an idol, because it shines much brighter than this offbeat extraordinaire who seems made of steel but is more fragile than an egg and can be cracked at any moment and end up a puddle on the kitchen floor

I used to hide the parts of me that were so obviously strange and fragile because the connotations were not attractive in a culture of perfection and best self but then I realized what a gift it was to be such a strange and fragile creature in a sea of sameness and homogeny No ribbon, no bow, no Christmas morning just a gift to myself, to be myself however strange and fragile I may be

This poem was inspired by a passage in the novel, Death in Her Hands by Ottessa Moshfegh. I find myself highlighting words or passages that move me every time I read, no matter what I am reading. When I find the highlight that projects to a poem, I don’t read the source again before I write, I just allow the nerve to be touched. And then I spill my words.

A snippet from page 9 of Death in Her Hands, where I got my inspiration:

I walked back to the note, still fluttering gently in the warm wind. For a moment it seemed alive somehow, a strange and fragile creature weighed down by the black rocks, struggling to be free, like a butterfly or a bird with a broken wing.

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