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My own four experiences with holes  

senfully 55F  
540 posts
10/6/2021 9:16 am
My own four experiences with holes


I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.

—Portia Nelson, "Autobiography in Five Short Chapters"

My own four experiences with holes
written October 5th, 2021

1.
I walk down a road
I fall into a hole
This happens a few times
I stop walking down roads.

2.
I get tired of being stuck in one place
I decide to try again.
I walk down a road
A different road than before
I know holes can happen
I keep my eyes on my feet
Just in case.

3.
I walk down roads
I carefully keep a list
of roads with holes
It is always in my mind
Is this a safe road?
Will it be safe today?

4.
I walk down a road with a friend
I forget to check if it's a safe road
We are talking and laughing
Then I realize
This is that very first road
the one with that big hole.

Did we not notice and walk around it?
Did we float over it?
Is the hole gone?
Will it come back?

So many questions.
All I really know is
I am grateful for
the moments of not worrying about holes
while laughing with a friend.

------
My thoughts about the poem:
The outline of the original poem was in the back of my mind. All I remembered was the holes and eventually going around them. I wrote mine and then read the original. The original is pretty wonderful. I love analogies and this one just suited me for some of my experiences with ptsd triggers.

senfully 55F  
443 posts
10/6/2021 9:17 am

I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
—Portia Nelson, "Autobiography in Five Short Chapters"

My own four experiences with holes
written October 5th, 2021

1.
I walk down a road
I fall into a hole
This happens a few times
I stop walking down roads.

2.
I get tired of being stuck in one place
I decide to try again.
I walk down a road
A different road than before
I know holes can happen
I keep my eyes on my feet
Just in case.

3.
I walk down roads
I carefully keep a list
of roads with holes
It is always in my mind
Is this a safe road?
Will it be safe today?

4.
I walk down a road with a friend
I forget to check if it's a safe road
We are talking and laughing
Then I realize
This is that very first road
the one with that big hole.

Did we not notice and walk around it?
Did we float over it?
Is the hole gone?
Will it come back?

So many questions.
All I really know is
I am grateful for
the moments of not worrying about holes
while laughing with a friend.

-----
My thoughts about the poem:
The outline of the original poem was in the back of my mind. All I remembered was the holes and eventually going around them. I wrote mine and then read the original. The original is pretty wonderful. I love analogies and this one just suited me for some of my experiences with ptsd triggers.


senfully replies on 10/6/2021 4:33 pm:
Autobiography in Five Short Chapters
by Portia Nelson

I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost... I am helpless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same place.
But, it isn't my fault.
It still takes me a long time to get out.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in. It's a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault. I get out immediately.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

I walk down another street.

AlfTupper1948 77M
37 posts
10/6/2021 9:59 am

I love this. Like you walking down roads, I keep reading it, and sometimes understanding it, sometimes not, sometimes understanding it in a different way, sometimes reading four poems, not one... But I know for sure, I'm going to keep re-reading it... Thank you for this/these... opening doors over and over, revealing different things, some in you, some in me... fascinating.


senfully replies on 10/7/2021 12:33 pm:
Thank you for this. So many things for me to think about! Hugs!

GoldenLicker90 34M
33 posts
10/6/2021 10:36 am

I love this kind of poetry, you’re great


senfully replies on 10/7/2021 12:33 pm:
Thank you for reading me and responding!

69ereatwetpussy 61M
6774 posts
10/6/2021 11:17 am

Don't worry
about things
till you
Come to them
Then stop
Look at
The troubles
Think of what
To do
Thank your time
You will figure
It out
And be safe


senfully replies on 10/7/2021 12:34 pm:
Thank you. This helps. Hugs.

kamaruhl3 63M
4985 posts
10/6/2021 3:40 pm

This is great and funny at same time. thank you


senfully replies on 10/7/2021 12:35 pm:
So good seeing you here! I know it's been a while. Thank you for always reading me and responding. Hugs!

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