In a Box

Abstract

Reflection from the author: I wrote this poem during a time when lack of sleep played with my emotions, and therefore made it hard to control my subconscious that I would normally keep at bay. Laced with out-of-the-box metaphors, the poem brings the reader along a self-reflective journey about hiding from one’s own identity. I wanted to describe how even though I believed I had valid excuses that I gave the identity in the box, such as promises of returning, putting off one’s identity for however long is still hiding from it. This was a difficult thing for me to come to understand, and I had felt the repercussions in the form of the identity retaliating in full force and showing up despite my best efforts. I took inspiration from Shane Koyczan’s writing style and used it to issue a warning, partly to the reader but mostly to myself, that hiding from one’s identity is difficult, but the first step is acknowledging the fact that it might be there in the first place. It is important to note this poem does not follow conventional formatting or grammar rules. It is meant to be read with the ‘abnormal’ spacing as pauses. The longer the space, the longer a pause to take while reading.