avatarJonathan Greene

Summary

The poem "How I See Things" reflects on the distortion of perception caused by personal experiences and self-image.

Abstract

"How I See Things" is a contemplative poem that delves into the author's introspection about their warped perception of reality. The author describes their vision as being colored by past experiences, which obscures their present and future, leading to a sense of being held back from potential. The poem suggests that the speaker's self-image is so distorted that it affects their ability to perceive happiness and hope, likening their perspective to a damaged vinyl record or broken eyesight. Despite having 20/20 vision, the speaker feels they are missing out on true clarity, which is emotional and existential rather than physical. The poem concludes that the speaker's perception of the world is intrinsically tied to their self-perception, which is both bent and broken.

Opinions

  • The author expresses a deep sense of personal distortion, suggesting that their past experiences have a profound impact on their current reality.
  • There is a feeling of disconnection and inability to engage with the world due to the speaker's impaired vision, metaphorically speaking.
  • The poem conveys a sense of loss and longing, as the speaker acknowledges the things they will never have due to their warped perspective.
  • The author implies that clarity of vision is not just about physical sight but also about emotional and psychological well-being.
  • There is an acknowledgment that the speaker's self-perception is flawed, which in turn affects their entire worldview.
  • The poem hints at a struggle with identity, as the speaker seems to question who they are anymore.

How I See Things

A Poem

Photo by Darius Bashar on Unsplash

Distorted when I look at you so colored by my past and all of my experiences draining the life out of me and holding me back from everything I could be

I can barely make you out blurred vision my guide because I don’t want to see everything in front of me because it will all just amount to a bunch of stuff that I will never have

How I see things is really warped like that old vinyl in the sun bent and melted from life and me standing there trying to figure out what it once was when I really need to look in the mirror and see if I can even tell who I am anymore

They say my vision is 20/20 but they can’t see through these eyes I can see the F C D A B P but I can’t see happiness or hope These eyes are broken I am not blind, but in so many ways I really am

How I see things is a product of how I see myself and if I don’t see myself how can I see anything without it being distorted down to my perspective, which we’ve already established, is substantially bent and eternally broken

© Jonathan Greene 2020

If you liked this, you might like this as well:

Poetry
Self-awareness
Self
Mental Health
Poem
Recommended from ReadMedium
avataroceanburned 𓇼
To love in silence

Image from Pinterest

3 min read
avatarAnna Rozwadowska
Missing Pieces

A poem

2 min read