What Does It Say About Me?

Summary

The poem reflects on the tendency to derive self-identity from personal habits and societal judgments, questioning the validity of such interpretations.

Abstract

The poem id="9966" titled "What Does It Say About Me?" is a contemplative poem that delves into the human propensity to self-analyze and seek meaning in everyday preferences and actions, such as enjoying melancholic music, being truthful, or engaging with that society often uses to judge character and personality. The speaker ponders the significance of their choices, from listening to a playlist named "Melancholy Instrumentalsay" to avoiding coffee, cycling, and drugs. They question whether these preferences truly define them or if they are merely superficial aspects that others use to form opinions. The poem suggests that people are quick to judge one another, yet they also judge themselves, creating a loop of introspection that may not lead to a true understanding of self. The author, Jonathan Greene, invites readers to consider the complexity of self-perception and the pitfalls of drawing conclusions based on limited observations.

Opinions

The speaker challenges the idea that personal habits, like listening to sad music or abstaining from common experiences, are indicative of one's identity.
There is

A Poem

What does it say about me that my favorite playlist is called Melancholy Instrumentals? Maybe I just like the way it makes me feel Cold spritzes of sadness to make me feel something other than a flatline

What does it say about me that I always tell the truth? Is it somehow an excuse to be ruder than a normal person who thinks white lies are as simple as cauliflower rice?

What does it say about me that I sometimes look at Instagram while I am meditating? Am I unworthy of mindfulness because I like to look at nature pics while breathing deeply and fighting off distraction? (and doing a terrible job)

What does anything say about me when seen through the reflection of the image of myself I hold deep down that is so untrue yet also unwavering What does that say about me?

A castrated facade of who I might be if I were to be that introspective But what if I am and all it says about me is that I don’t know what anything really says about me? This circular route to understand the nuances of self balled up in an emotional dialogue that runs on a loop in my ever-active brain

What does it say about me that I’ve never had coffee? And never ridden a bike? Or never done drugs? To me, it says nothing It’s just me But we humans are so happy to judge each other ad nauseam about every little single thing And I am no better For all the times I wonder what things say about me I judge you for the things I notice about you And there we sit eye to eye face to face Talking about each other in our minds and wondering the whole time what it says about us

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

What Does It Say About Me?

A Poem

It’s Not About You

A Poem