The Power of Imagination
March 5, 2008
by Eric Brown
I awoke one morning to
find myself in a box,
In a box, in a box.
I sat juggling my mind
and ten lit candles (for light).
When I quit the
candles went out.
Self-extinguishing? I
wondered.
I put my mind back
in my head.
I was curious as to
how I came to be…
in this box.
I reached out to
touch the side
of the box.
To my SURPRISE
that which was
there one minute
was suddenly gone
the next.
I realized this wasn’t
a box at all,
but rather a vast,
empty wasteland
in which I hung…
suspended.
Devoid of light, with
the absence of sound,
it goes without
saying that I knew
not where the
emptiness began, nor
if there was an end.
A light soon appeared far
off in the distance.
Or maybe it was right
in front of me, but…
circumstances being
what they were, I
was not sure.
The light grew brighter,
brighter, brighter, brighter…
still.
Until it became so
bright I had to shield
my eyes.
The lights’ intensity made
my flesh crawl and
my insides writhe.
The light began to form
into images…
images of ghastly atrocities.
My skin peeled and insides
begged for release.
I opened my chest
and out came a lung,
followed by my heart…
Soon all my insides
were out, fleeing
into the darkness.
I gave chase, running
running, running.
Running until I was
sure collapse was
imminent; and there
were my insides…
Inside a box, a box
with six sides and no
opening.
I tore at the box until
my fingers bled, but
to no avail.
My only resort was to
swallow the box.
At least then my insides
would be inside.
Not outside, for then
they would be outsides;
and that was just
preposterous.
What?
What’s that you say?
You doubt my story?
You ask how can this be true?
Well, you can ask the blind man.
He didn’t see nothin’!
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The imagery in your The Power of Imagination is just great! This is a wonderful expression of the imagination. I think this poem also raises the point that it’s ultimately up to you how expansive or confined your imagination can be. What an enjoyable read!