Friday, July 15, 2011

They Had Us Read This Poem in Therapy

AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN FIVE SHORT CHAPTERS
by Portia Nelson


      I
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost . . . I am helpless.
                             It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

     II
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same place
                         but, it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

     III
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in . . . it's a habit.
                            My eyes are open.
                            I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

     IV
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

     V
I walk down another street.

2 comments:

  1. I love this poem. - Emily

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  2. So do I! Although the whole "putting it on my blog for anyone to read whenever they want" may have made my love for it quite a bit, you know, obvious.

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