Cloistered

  • This piece deals with the strange duality we all carry with us through life, the unique contradiction between the person we think we are, and the ‘many’ other persons others perceive us to be from their experience of us, as filtered through their differing individual perceptions. Fair or not, convenient or not, we are ‘judged’. Our lives are impacted to one degree or another, every day by how we measure up to each of these interpretations of the “I” we are thought to be. This includes the “I” we perceive ourselves to be. Which one is real, is valid, or is any one of them truly definitive? The phrase “I am” presents a fascinating philosophical quandary.


    image by René Magritte

     

    Cloistered

    ~

    when another
    tells you of yourself
    you’re shown the dance they see
    your outward choreography

    but you hear not of the music
    that rings true in your mind
    that leads and drives the steps
    to this inward dance they’re blind

    you are shown the reflection
    not the light that shines inside
    that illuminates your soul
    to guide your steps and stride

    are we the I that we know
    the self that we so treasure
    or are we in fact the other
    the one the others measure

    for if the valid I
    be the one that is most known
    then we are in fact that I
    the one to ourselves not shown

    for surely when compared
    the majority story shared
    is of the outward other
    the one seen by another

    and so we live our life
    cloistered in this other
    and live this life alone
    even when by many known
    for the I that’s outward shown
    is the I that’s not our own

    ~ ~ ~

    rob kistner © 2012

  • 10 thoughts on “Cloistered”

    1. Lovely piece, I reread it to see if my feelings changed. The We usage stands out for me, a dear friend always talks about us as WE…!

      Nice photo too!

    2. I loved this piece – your thoughts are my thoughts here…. I once read that what others think of you is none of your business!

      1. Whether how others perceive us is any of our business or not, we will likely never know their true perception, because very few will ever share it — and it seldom aligns with how we perceive ourselves. But we need to understand that their perception impacts our life, because people act on their perception of us. And you need to realize that other people’s perception of us changes from time to time, based on our actions, or their circumstances; sometimes a little and sometimes a lot — so simply be aware, and don’t be surprised…

    3. this is a very interesting piece rob…i think some times our image of ourselves can be skewed a bit so its not a bad thing to be able to see how others view us…we do have to determine if there is truth in it though…but there may be things we do not realize about ourselves as well…

      1. I wholly agree Brian that the question each of us ask of ourselves regarding “who I am” is quite complex, multi-layered — that’s why I question, in the introduction I wrote to my poem, whether any perception, ours or others, is truly definitive. The philosopher in me loves to grapple with concepts like this. I used to spend hours with my son Justin, who moved close to a year ago to San Francisco with his wife, deep in a variety of philosophical discussions — I greatly miss that interaction…

    4. This is really good. I especially loved the first and fifth stanzas, but I was nodding my head all throughout. What makes it more complicated is that the “one seen by another” is also viewed through the glass of their own biases, their own preconceived notions. Which raises the question, is the real you ever truly seen by anyone, either by yourself or others? Very thought-provoking piece.

      1. Evenstarwen, you got it… 🙂 …here is an even deeper philosophical question; is there in fact a “real” you — or are we all simply amorphous, ever-changing entities, that slip on then off this planet, to create a multitude of impressions while living, and leave behind a myriad of impressions of who we were after passing, each interpreted by the individuals who encountered us. It is tempting to claim that the “real” us, the authentic “I”, is the “I” we think we are. But if others do not perceive us that way, then is that a valid claim? When we ask ourselves “who am I”, it’s very much like asking “what is truth” — it’s a matter of perspective, and it’s all fun food for thought…

    5. I am so impressed with your amazing talents. Your poetry is captivating to say the least, and I have recommended it to my friends on facebook. I do some writing and have painted for many years. Some of my writing is on ‘A Little Poetry, A Little Art, A Little Music’ , a google blog. Have just joined WordPress. Will certainly visit your blog often.

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