Identity accretes
like the scraps on the shell
of a decorator crab:
some chosen
and added with care,
others just drifted past,
touched,
and stuck,
or grew, unnoticed,
from floating spores.
What if…
we could just step out
of the
hard, protective shell?
Shed the ghillie suit of identity,
drop it to the sand,
and stand –
soft bodied, naked,
vulnerable as a hermit crab
before it coils safely into a new shell.
_____________
Written in response to Eugi’s weekly prompt: identity.
Sometimes I daydream about faking my own death – just leaving my clothes, phone, wallet full of ID, on the beach and walking off. Not plausible I know, and I’m happy with my life and my identity. But wouldn’t it be interesting to shed it and try a different shell, just for a while?
Interesting take in a well thought, thoughtful piece. We all are decorator crabs, showing what we want others to see. As to your comment on faking your death, “Dinosaur Comics” by Ryan North just did a comic on that topic: http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=3618
lol… yes, it actually had occurred to me that if I ever drowned people might think I had just faked my own death.
Thank you for your kind comment. I had considered responding to the prompt with something about identity elements and vectors, but I beat down my inner nerd on that.
A very enjoyable approach to the prompt, Kate! I agree with Stephen’s comment, we all are decorator crabs, showing what we want others to see. Perhaps, one of many ways we try to protect our inner self. Thank you for joining in.
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