.JPG)
Let me tell you about 'Confidence.'
Come in really close.
And I'll talk right under
The world's nose
About nothing.
Confidence: it doesn't matter
Too much the words said.
It's all in the eyes, through the
Breath, out the head:
Being trusting.
And it's not for children. No,
It's for those who've
Become the ones they look
Up to, who believe
They've grown tall:
Even as I am falling down, to
Whisper to you this,
Only was ever the prelude
To a calming kiss
Or to nothing at all.
When a new-found confidence begins yielding results, it also tends also to evoke a sense of tenacity – of “This is good, but I doubt it's going to stay long … how do I keep it?” And THAT last part, my friends, is a dangerous thought, for it is antithetical to a confident mindset.
ReplyDeleteHaving a purpose, knowing what you want, and inviting such things into your life: that kind of certainty is comforting and complimentary – it draws people in. The desire, the want itself, and the emptiness in need of filling (which necessarily underlie the above) are of themselves disquieting and pitiable – they chase away what is needed by needing it brazenly, self-sacrificially (rather than artfully, personably).
To clear out one's floorspace is – however ironically – to make one's self inhospitable as a destination. Therefore – my friends seeking confidence – be full, and in that mindset you will continue to find occasions for making room.
* Thanks to Jonathan (fish schooling), David (columns & sky), Julie (kiss), Amy (No-Matter-Whatness), & the stack of shellfish I ate (background striations) for making this collage full.
I find this poem very relateable. The idea of confidence is such an applicable concept to so many people, especially during high school. I think the shape of the poem, the way you chose to portray it, really added more depth to the poem. The first lin of the last stanza "Even as I am falling down" made it seem to me as though too much confidence forces one to devolve, to move backwards in a way and the shape of the poem looked to me like an arrow pointing toward the left, or backwards. Although on the surface I see that confidence is meant to mean trust in people, I find that on a different level it can mean confidence in oneself, even to the point of egotism. Trust in people is inherent to children and I see that you have described the ignorance of this. Confidence in a person can be very harmful and as we grow up we learn to take confidence fleetingly. We do not trust to give ourself confidence, we trust to prove our confidence to those we trust. It has come to be a societal pressure, to trust someone. We expect trust from our friends, our family, and anyone else we are close with and they expect trust from us. However, all we do is say that we trust someone, but words mean nothing. We can talk until our faces turn blue, but our trust means nothing if all it is is words. This year, I have learned how detrimental our trust in someone can be and this poem really connected with me because of that. I think the collage that goes with it also gives a new meaning to the idea of confidence. It demonstrates the chaotic nature of trust and how quickly it gets tangled in other emotions an how easily it can go away. I was very fond of this poem and I think the title was perfect for it because of the irony it creates.
ReplyDeleteIrony?
Delete"Confidence means trusting yourself." That's the poem, in a phrase, essentially.
Falling down / coming down / leaning down ... it doesn't matter if the landing ends up being graceful as expected (a calming kiss) or startlingly harsh (nothing at all) ... the point is to trust yourself enough to let go.
Poems like "Scissor-kick" & "Sun-Chaser" mentions similar sentiments.
I like this one a lot. I'm glad you commented on it.
I found it very interesting the way in which you structured the poem, defining confidence in more detail as you created the image of going down stairs with the words. Suggesting that confidence is found when one goes back to one's roots and believes in their true selves. I also gained the idea that confidence is not something that can be won or given, but something that is seen through one's own eyes. Confidence can only be retrieved from oneself and how one sees oneself. It can not be given by any external forces. This concept of self-compassion and believing in oneself is seen in the line "It's for those who've become the ones they look up to, who believe they've grown tall." Once a person is able to see himself as the tallest person on the playground, metaphorically, he is able to exert confidence to others and give them something to strive towards.
ReplyDeleteNot really even about thinking you're a model or leader -- confidence doesn't need to be so prideful -- but just, as you say, finding a little self-compassion and believing that you're worthy of a happy ending or two. Once you can imagine yourself as worth it, then there is the possibility that you will go on out and earn it.
DeleteThat's confidence.
It was really interesting how the poem starts out as calling confidence something fake and not really a thing. You go on to describe it as a combination of other things rather than it being a simple definition. Confidence requires trust in yourself as well as trust in others. This poem seemed to define confidence as also almost necessary for those who are being looked up to, but also requires one to be able to lower themselves to (or maintain) the levels of everyone else, remaining humble.
ReplyDeleteWell-read. It's apparent that you think yourself to coherence-of-thought before you write -- it reflects in your clarity and conciseness.
DeleteThat thoughtfulness is not lost on others, and is appreciated -- at the very least by myself. Thank you.
This poem really hit a chord with me because I'll be leaving home soon to go off to college. Which is exciting but also really, really scary. The concept of self confidence boils down to trusting yourself and, to me, trusting that you are going to be alright in the end. I also really like how you made a point about the danger of fleeting moments. It is dangerous to think that a happy moment will not last, that it is undeserved. Having a purpose, a mission, generates healthy confidence and with this, I can take this big leap away from home and away from what is comfortable. Thank you.
ReplyDelete