clicking on the keyboard letter by letter.
Reconstructing myself to fill the screen
with version of me looking better and better.
In the virtual world to be liked, pinned and tweeted
Using fonts, size and color I make sure I am seen.
I can hide, delete, highlight, show some pieces in bold.
I am not a copy-paste person, but is this true me?
Painting slices of life, revealing my soul and mind,
yet you can't touch me or hear my laughter or cry.
Am I adding a dimension or thinning my life
letting everyone meet the revised and edited "I"?
Wow, this is great and so true. In my head your poem has a catchy tune - more like a song really.
ReplyDeleteWe all have to "airbrush" parts of the image we share with others; however, it seems that most powerful writing is when we let others into how we really look, see things and feel!
ReplyDeleteEvery line was perfect, and had me nodding in agreement - this IS the online, slicing, writing, creating process. Thank you for capturing it so well!
ReplyDeleteBeautifully expressed...
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting on my blog when I posted about Love That Dog. So glad to find your lovely blog.
I've thought about this too, but you've said it so well. I hope to reveal my true self through my words.
ReplyDeleteLike Elsie, I've often thought about my efforts to "me-ize" the flat print on the page. I think that is why I often add photos - there is such a strong need for dimension.
ReplyDeleteOoh, this is so well written and resonates with me. I totally understand what you mean about this "virtual me". We are def. presenting this revised and edited version of ourselves, but at the same time sharing a part of our souls through it.
ReplyDeleteTerje,
ReplyDeleteI love your poem! Your thinking about the revised and edited "I" is so true...I love the opening, "Deconstructing myself to fit my fingertips"-because it makes me think of how our fingers tell our stories...well done!
It makes me wonder about how readers think they know the writer "you"...
Thanks for sharing your talent!
Perfectly said. "Letter by letter... Looking better and better..."
ReplyDeleteThere have been a few TV shows and movies about people who built themselves up to be more or different than they really were, and then had to "come clean" when they met face to face! So I guess blogging wasn't the first editing of life!!
I think in this community though, we have gotten to know each other better and trust more to write as ourselves more and more. It is still difficult though! I'm thinking I might revise myself to be much thinner and blonde.
Beautiful poem... I think you are right the "virtual" us can be a bit different but somehow I think are true self does come through our words..
ReplyDeleteI am hoping it's my true self, but I do 'revise & re-construct'. It's such an interesting question. I don't write in anger, but I do get angry. I sometimes write in frustration, but I do temper the words. This is beautifully done, Terje, every word delightfully chosen, but is it serious or tongue-in-cheek? I saw The Hunger Games movie last night, with all its smoke and mirrors, so your poem reminded me of some of those scenes. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteLove the whole poem, but the line: "Painting slices of life, revealing my soul and mind, yet you can't touch me or hear my laughter or cry." made me think how much of ourselves we truly share. Is it because we can't touch, hear or cry? I think that's why we leave comments. Thanks for sharing your virtual self.
ReplyDeletePainting slices of life, revealing my soul and mind,
ReplyDeleteyet you can't touch me or hear my laughter or cry.
Am I adding a dimension or thinning my life
letting everyone meet the revised and edited "I"?
I also think about what I'm not sharing. Is what I hide the REAL me? I don't put up any photo that I don't' personally approve :)
Good questions to linger with,
Thanks,
Bonnie
You always ask the question that begs to be heard- the one we sometimes try not to think about. This poem is so clear and direct -"Am I adding a dimension or thinning my life?" Could we be doing both? Thanks for your insight.
ReplyDeleteThis sums up so well the things I think about when I'm posting! How often I worry about posting something that will show "too much of the real me" ... whatever that's supposed to mean ... and why would that be a bad thing?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts, and pulling them together so nicely in this poem!
The flexibility of the keyboard! Loved how you connected this piece to life through a canvas of sorts. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteOh, I can't believe I missed this poem this week until now. It is so hard to keep track of where I've visited and where I haven't.
ReplyDeleteYou have caught the essence of writing and posting as part of this community in your well-crafted poetry. You often express thoughts that have been misting around my brain, but I never would have been able to articulate them so poignantly. This is one of those times.
An interesting poem.
ReplyDeleteSo who are we really? How much do we show?
And we are not real on the screen,
as
yet you can't touch me or hear my laughter or cry.