Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Identity


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Midweek Motif ~ Identity

Meaning of identity according to dictionary is "who or what somebody/something is". Very simple. But aren't there numerous ways to identify who we are? Our sense of self develops from our own principles, values, community and culture. Quite a patchwork quilt we are and complex.

Moreover we tend to change with shifting situations.

Some interesting quotes:

"Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passion a quotation."---Oscar Wilde

"My friend I am not what I seem. Seeming is but a garment I wear -- a care-woven garment that protects me from thy questionings and thee from my negligence. The "I" in me, my friend, dwells in the house of silence, and therein it shall remain forever more, unperceived, unapproachable."---Khalil Gibran, The Madman

"I am not one and simple, but complex and many"---Virginia Woolf, The waves

"I believe that true identity is found....in creative activity springing from within. It is found, paradoxically, when one loses oneself. Woman can best re-find herself in some kind of creative activity of her own."---Anne Morrow Lindberg

So today let's unfold our own story, our "Identity".


A few poems for inspiration:

If

by E.E.Cummings

If freckles were lovely, and day was night,
And measles were nice and lies weren't a lie,
Life would be delight,--
But things couldn't go right
For in such a sad plight
I wouldn't be I.

If earth was heaven and now was hence,
And past was present, and false was true,
There might be some sense
But I'd be in suspense
For on such a pretense
You would't be you.

If fear was plucky, and globes were square,
And dirt was cleanly and tears were glee
Things would seem fair,--
Yet they'd all despair
For if here was there
We wouldn't be we.


As I Grew Older

by Langston Hughes

It was a long time ago.
I have almost forgotten my dream.
But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright like a sun--
My dream.
And then the wall rose,
Rose slowly,
Slowly,
Between me and my dream.
Rose until it touched the sky--
The wall.
Shadow.
I am black.
I lie down in the shadow.
No longer the light of my dream before me,
Above me.
Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.
My hands!
My dark hands!
Break through the wall!
Find my dream!
Help me to shatter this darkness,
To smash this night,
To break this shadow
Into a thousand lights of sun,
Into a thousand whirling dreams
Of sun!


I'm Nobody! Who Are You?

by Emily Dickinson

I'm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us -- don't tell!
They'd banish -- you know!

How dreary to be somebody!
How public like a frog
To tell one's name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!


Please share your new poem using Mr. Linky below and visit others in the spirit of the community.

                (Next week Sumana's Midweek Motif will be The Inanimate & The Non-Human)

26 comments:

  1. Hey everyone,

    Sigh, another week gone by and we are here once again with Midweek Motif. The prompt got me thinking.. do we truly know ourselves.. what role do people play in our lives which in turn make us who we really are?

    Sharing my poem "Self Identity" a brief glimpse into my soul. Hope you guys like it :D

    Lots of love,
    Sanaa

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  2. Happy Wednesday to all and thank you!

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  3. Thanks for the prompt, Sumana. I look forward to reading some fine poems again.

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  4. I hope no one thinks, have been forcing Sumana, to choose topics that have allowed me, to share part of my journey, to here.

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    Replies
    1. LOL, nice to see you, Therisa. Looking forward to reading more of your journey.

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  5. Happy mid week, and great of you to share. Greetings!

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  6. Thanks for this prompt. Hope everyone is inspired!

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  7. I love this prompt, Sumana! The poems and quotes and entire quilt are inspiring. So I wrote a little thing, and I will be back to read throughout the week as way opens.

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  8. Happy Wednesday everyone....and thanks for the great prompt, Sumana!

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  9. A grey rainy Wednesday here.......great topic, Sumana!

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  10. nice prompt. But I seem to have linked the wrong post here. Tried to remove but couldn't. Can you please remove it so that I can link the correct post?

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    Replies
    1. Your link is removed. Feel free to link another.

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  11. Hi Everyone! Happy Wednesday! I am off today--a rare thing in the middle of the week!

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  12. Lovely poems you've chosen to illustrate this prompt, Sumana!

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  13. A very nice Wednesday to every one

    much love...

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  14. Good prompt Sumana. My body and mind are tired, so I submitted something a little silly. Hope it's ok.

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  15. Good prompt Sumana. My body and mind are tired, so I submitted something a little silly. Hope it's ok.

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  16. Happy Wednesday! Reflective prompt my muse wanted to have a say..

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    Replies
    1. I had to come back to just say this prompt is rocking tonight. Some truly reflective writings.

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    2. Indeed, it has been rocking for sure, Truedessa!

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  17. Brilliant prompt. Linked mine. Its titled Who Am I? . Hoping to have made justice to the prompt.

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  18. Thank you, for the challenge!! :)

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  19. Sumana,
    I've been busy mulling over my thoughts about Identity and have at last, added my poetic version!
    A fantastic prompt...
    Eileen

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  20. Thank you friends for the wonderful responses...

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