Looking Back at Myself

Summary

The poem "Looking Back at Myself" by Jonathan Greene explores the surreal experience of observing oneself from a detached perspective, delving into themes of identity, dreams, and existential contemplation.

Abstract

In the free verse poem "Looking Back at Myself," the speaker describes a peculiar and introspective experience where they wake up to find themselves standing over their own sleeping body. This duality prompts a profound self-examination and a questioning of reality and dreams. The speaker contemplates the nature of their existence, wondering if they are split into two beings or merely experiencing a complex dream. They see their sleeping self as peaceful and carefree, contrasting it with their own turmoil and confusion. The poem reflects on the desire for normalcy amidst a world that feels nonsensical and the hope that a third version of the self might bring clarity and resolution to their internal conflict.

Opinions

The speaker expresses a sense of disconnection from their own life, as if they are an observer rather than a participant.
There is a yearning for understanding and coherence in a world that seems illogical and unpredictable.
The poem suggests that dreams may hold a deeper truth or insight into one's waking life and struggles.
The speaker muses on the possibility of multiple selves, each with its own consciousness and experiences.
There is an element of hope that a new perspective, represented by a third self, could provide answers and peace of mind.
The poem conveys a sense of wonder and philosophical inquiry about the nature of reality, identity, and consciousness.

A Free Verse Poem

Some mornings I wake up standing over my sleeping body looking back at myself wondering what I’m dreaming about which is weird because I’m standing there so I guess I’m dreaming about that but I am also watching and wondering if I’ve been split into two particles operating on two wavelengths or if I just have really messed up dreams

But looking back at myself gives me perspective especially right now, when everything is upside down I look peaceful, serene, without a care in the world and then I wonder who this person is, the one standing outside of that life, looking back Which one of these is me and which one is happy? So I lay down next to him, side by side, twins, and then I start thinking about what-if scenarios What if I were a twin and my twin didn’t know? Is this a lucid dream or am I dreaming in a dream? I can’t stop asking myself questions

When you look back at yourself you see yourself for who you really are or sometimes who you’d rather be in a time you wish were actually happening One where you sleep like a brick and then wake up and everything is normal again but when I wake up, it’s not normal I don’t think I am normal but if I’m abnormal, I prefer it to this world that makes little to no sense day after day which is maybe why this happens to me

I think tonight I’ll see if watchful me can dream and birth a third Jonathan, one with no worries because maybe he can talk sense into both of us The one sleeping peacefully and the weird one, the one looking back at myself, waiting for a sign to tell him, and me, that this will end soon Yeah, that’s exactly what I am going to Dream within a dream within a dream I wonder what it will feel like when I am looking back at myself looking back at myself

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