Corporate Distaste

Something inside me broke, 

like a wishbone on Thanksgiving, 

like a frail bridge under an elephant's foot, 

like my mother's heart on her wedding.

I just don't understand how to fit

into a system that has paperclip margins, 

where you are told to follow a tight script

and never improvise in color, 

in case someone finds out

you actually are unique

and ceilings are man-made. 

Nothing 

outweighs 

the suffocation.

Reviews

[R.E. Ray]

This is a fresh and creative take on what Emerson addressed in his essay, Self-Reliance, in the mid-19th century. Of course, the dynamics have shifted, certainly between the roles of men and women, but the chains of conformity are the same--heavy and unforgiving. Society demands it, and when individuals resist they're crushed.

We place the same constraints on interpersonal relationships, intimate and other. We're expected to think and behave in a certain way, and when we don't, the other person often tries to whip us into our place. This is why I love the concept of the "disruptive leader" (in and out of business). I believe ceilings are meant to be broken, so we can grow. The question is, do we have the courage to do that. The contemplation can suffocate us, too, and that's what you've captured so well here.

[Kay]

Thank you very much for your review! I enjoyed reading your comments and I really do agree - ceilings are made to be overcome. =) I think it's fascinating to observe the "silent rules" we establish, which appear to be self-sabotaging behavior when there's nobody to point a finger towards.

Pleasure to come across you, looking forward to reading your writing!

[Jibey]

I felt in tune with this protest against conformity... and it extends beyond the workplace to personal relationships, even the expectations of marriage. People with creative impulses find the boundaries hard to live within - and the urgency of the spirit's insistence often finds a bursting point.

Fine images and economy of words in this cri de coeur, unconstrained by too much form! I loved the paper clip image.

[Kay]

That's certainly an interesting perspective - relationships can exist with their own boundaries for creative expression. It's not necessarily that the other person is actively confining you, but they might not fully understand your thought processes and approach to things. Sometimes it can come across as "simply overthinking" when it's really your spirit's dialogue over details that you're sensitively absorbing. Thank you for your insightful review Jibey!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i totally agree and relate to this poem...god forbid we are unique...the suffocation of us being like a bunch of clones...everyone having to be the same....no color....just a black and white script and follow it.
but we don't...we are poets, we move to our own beat no matter what the norm tells us to do.
love this piece.
j.

[Kay]

I really agree with that, especially the idea of producing clones. There's generally a cold, two-faced quality to the culture as well. I think the problem is that as any kind of artist, many of us are repressed in our day jobs and forced to follow the act as well until the work shift ends. For us, it can feel like an extra strain because it's very opposite to our rooted nature and forces a deeper level of inhibition. I've been enjoying your thoughtful reviews!