avatarJonathan Greene

Summary

The poem "The Distance Between You and Me" reflects on the emotional and psychological distance from the world, despite physical proximity and hyperconnectivity through the internet.

Abstract

The poem titled "The Distance Between You and Me" delves into the theme of isolation and disconnection in the modern world. The speaker expresses a sense of growing detachment from the world, symbolized as "you," which is exacerbated by the paradox of being hyperconnected through the internet yet feeling increasingly disconnected on an emotional level. The poem conveys a struggle with the overwhelming nature of the world, which leads to withdrawal and a sense of being lost. Despite the desire for closeness, the speaker acknowledges the vast emotional distance that prevents true connection, as they feel unheard and misunderstood by the world around them.

Opinions

  • The speaker feels a profound emotional distance from the world, which is not measurable in physical terms.
  • The internet's connectivity does not bridge the emotional gap; instead, it highlights the disconnection caused by uneasiness.
  • The speaker's internal struggle with melancholy and fear contributes to their sense of isolation.
  • There is a perceived failure of the world to meet the speaker's needs, leading to a feeling of being erased or "whitewashed."
  • The poem suggests that both the speaker and the world are "wayward," implying a mutual drifting apart without a clear path to reconciliation.

The Distance Between You and Me

A Poem

Photo by Jonathan Daniels on Unsplash

The distance between you and me is growing and when I say you, I mean the world as I sit captive in a swirl of uncertainty gently pressing my fingers on the keys to spin another yarn to wash myself clean

It’s not about feet or yards at this point it’s about how far I feel from you Hyperconnected by the Internet, but disconnected by uneasiness and I just want to rest my head

Even if I had a measuring tape it wouldn’t be long enough to map the distance between you and me because I keep running faster away from the spiral you bring forth

When you get too close to me I withdraw and hide, as if I had a choice, but it’s not just where I am that keeps me away It’s my melancholy mindset mirroring and all I can see is my own scared facade

Even if we tried to walk to see each other we would never, ever get there because we are headed in different directions which is why this distance keeps growing I am lost and you are heavily directed

I wish I could tell you I miss you, but I am stuck with you, the world, and you are failing me on so many levels and whitewashing me so often I may just disappear

So when I talk about it, the distance between you and me, it’s really just abstract now because we both know that we are now wayward

© Jonathan Greene 2020

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Poetry
World
Self
Life
Existentialism
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