I think they don’t like me (edited, re-posted)

I don’t care,
I’ll sail away on gay insouciance
(I’m not gay,
I don’t care what you think)

Whatever you say,
I will be me.
I really don’t care what you think.

Some idiot
(probably Shakespeare)
said
no man is an island.
I can be if I want.

I don’t care,
I really don’t.
You can’t change me.

I’yam what I’yam,
Popeye got it right,
all I need is spinach.
not you.

What I know, I know,
preacher told me.
so you’re wrong.

It’s been hard for me,
I’ve suffered so I know.
You don’t know.
I know.
You can’t change me.

I will never change.
At all
or grow
or learn
I am an island.

— weirdelf, Jul 27, 2007

About This Poem

About the Author

Region, Country: Sydney, Australia, AUS

Favorite Poets: The Romantics, The Mersey Sound, The Beats and, of course, The Bard

This user supports Neopoet so it can be free to all

Critiques

Quillsvein1

18 years 10 months ago

the

new ending has a slightly doomy quality to it: "I will never change/At all/or grow/or learn/I am an island." whereas the first had a bit of this nonconformist pep to it (and this one still does, but the new ending effectively changes everything), i receive this version as more defiant, more rebellious, a better worded. plus, what's so wrong with doomy? nice job

weirdelf

18 years 10 months ago

thanks quill

I get this is still not coming across the way I wanted it to though. I wanted the character's voice to be petulant, holding-breath-till-I-turn-blue rebellious. A really pathetic character who won't listen and so can't change or grow. cheers, Jess

poet_inside

18 years 10 months ago

I agree with every word, no

I agree with every word, no one can tell me what I am, no one can tell me what I can't be, a person is what they are will be what they want!!!! (especially if you tell them they can't)

weirdelf

18 years 10 months ago

I agree with every word, yes

but do you know the trapped person, closed off, that I have so unsuccessfully tried to portray through irony? Maybe I should have just said "Some people can't listen, they won't grow or change" A much shorter piece, if not quite a poem. cheers, Jess

poet_inside

18 years 10 months ago

Yea I got that, but not till

Yea I got that, but not till the second time, someone being stubbern and stuck in their ways ;)!! I still love it!!!!

RSScheerer

18 years ago

‘or I shall hold my breath

'or I shall hold my breath until I turn blue and fall onto the floor, kicking and writhing' I got the petulance without a hint. All you needed to do was stomp your foot and it would have been perfect. Best, Ronda

shazbat

17 years 7 months ago

I see what you mean re:

I see what you mean re: irony. I've known many people like this, I can usually see through their facade of indifference and bravado,but if you are able to break down the barriers, they can change, and in one particular instance become a great friend. Love the way this shows the loneliness and self imposed isolation of these usually introverted personalities. Oops sorry, running into stereotyping and psychological profiling here. Personally I think you have conveyed your meaning excellently. John

weirdelf

17 years 7 months ago

ta John and especially for coming to have a look.

You now know more where I am coming from. cheers, Jess