Response to "I See Me" poem

This seems to be a pretty dark poem, but then again, I remember writing things that were this dark and depressing in high school and junior high, too. There was that one in eighth grade that was really dark and just a stream of consciousness. It was really good. Probably my favorite thing I ever wrote. Too bad it got lost in the shuffle of one of the moves.

Being a teenager isn't a fun time. Sure there are a lot of fun times and you basically have permission to be an idiot - but, you're alos becoming you - and that's not an easy thing. Especially when you are constantly bombarded with photos of what society deems as perfect and correct. So, it gets into your head that that image is what you should be.

That even holds true for adults. You're always feeling like you need to look the ads - but we know they aren't real. They're photoshopped - or they're plastic. What could actually be seen as more disturbing, though, is that we've become OK with that as a society. E preach that it matters what's on the inside, but I truly believe that this is a case of actions speaking louder than words. We say that, but we continue to show different "ideals."

Look at all the fad diets. The quick fixes. Society - and by that I mean all of us - is saying we need to be skinny.

But it hasn't always been that way. Marilyn Monroe was curvy. Bridgette Bardot definitely wasn't asking and bones. But at some point, stick thin because the ideal. I'm lucky because I got good genes. But that also doesn't mean it makes it any easier for me.

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When I first read this, I read it as someone looking at themselves in a mirror, but then a student said he thought it was about a bo looking into a girl's eyes. Once he said that, I could completely see that. That is one thing I love about teaching - when students have a chance to make me able to see things differently. It's a teachable moment for me and helps me grow. This is also a great example of how our personal schema and thoughts/experiences affect how we interpret things in clases - and life. It is all about how you frame things; either choice wasn't right and it wasn't wrong - it just was.

******

This person must have a significant amount of self loathing, though, when they ened it by saying that they hate that they always see "me." It makes me wonder whether they are upset about something they've done to the person they are looking at or if they just don't have enough confidence in themselves. If it is the former, it makes me question the person they are looking at. Or is "Jay" beating himself up unnecessarily about something he's done. Is he blowing it out of proportion? Or is it something that truly is horrible. If it is truly horrible, then the other peson should leave. Vamoose. They shouldn't suffer because someone else is a moron or rude or abusive. Everyone is better than that and deserves more than that.

As I read through this for the fight time today, I notice that the subject of the poem does indeed have some self-esteem issues. This could explain why she's staying with this person. Now, I'm also getting the idea that the narrator is the one who causes all the pain an suffering in her life. Now, though, I'm wondering why the narrator doesn't try to improve himself if he is so unhappy about how he hates what he sees.