Oh, this is so true! We've got to market ourselves into neat little packages suitable for each job and it's ridiculous, really, like God forbid you know a little more advanced Excel and have a multitude of skills, Franco what if you take over the company overnight?
You know, Franco, when I listened to your entry, I gave it a like, like I always do, then scrolled down and read your notes...and walked away. I couldn't shake what you had written, and when I looked you up, I thought to myself, "holy shit, I'm not smart enough to be in the same room with this man... Why does he even bother to acknowledge my existence?" and it occurred to me this was precisely your point. The only thing that should matter is what you can do, not where you have been, what you have seen and done in the lifetime preceding where you are today. I forgive the left-handed slap to my generation, but this was a far more thought-provoking piece than I realized my first time through.
Thank you, David. This is one of the best comments I've read in a long time. And I appreciate you forgiving me for that one part. It's true, all generations have their advantages and disadvantages based on the social climate and so many other factors. I'm so glad that you understand what I meant and found the whole thing thought-provoking.
I feel like I have to hide my writing experience, too. The problem with that is it makes me look bland and lacking in initiative on paper (I’m not a go-getter or a leader in mundane tedious jobs I don’t care about). But if I put it down, they’re probably going to think I won’t stay there long or that I’m going to cause trouble by not fitting in with their work culture.
Thanks for being real, this poem hits close to home.
I'm right with you, Lark. That's exactly the same reason why I feel like I have to hide it or not talk about it, because there's a certain connotation that creative people get when they enter other segments of the work world, and it's just a stereotype like anything else.
“I shouldn’t have to lose important parts of me to make myself accepted
cut entire slices off my past to be more easily digested…” What a great stanza!!
“…that no one cares about your medals from another time,” I don’t know about the absolute totality of that statement. You would be surprised at the persons you affected by your medal-winning performance and how the memory stirs up the ghosts for them.
“…checkered by the missteps of youth…” Missteps more often lead to success than they lead to failure.
“…always willing and able to take the impossible step, to make a difficult change when it is necessary
who will see, who will see?” The only person who needs to “see” is the self; it’s natural to want other persons to recognize your journey, but that’s a trait that needs to be discarded. It’s YOU, alone, who needs to see your own effort as a triumph of the self.
The poem had the right tone. Yes, overcoming self-inflicted mistakes and other obstacles does develop character and problem-solving skills, which should make us more valuable to an employer than a person who has had a smooth ride. I did just about everything wrong in my twenties, but I overcame those mistakes, learned from them, and built a better life for myself. As for outside interests and accomplishments, I recall the adage: "If you want a job done, give it to a busy person."
I’ve never been able to understand “overqualified”. If someone with a uni degree is a much better cleaner (for example ) than the one who doesn’t have a uni degree, shouldn’t the better cleaner get the job? I’m being simplistic here, I know.
As soon as you mentioned "your generation" -- and the fact that I was relating to everything you were saying, I though to myself, "is he a millennial?? he has to be" - hard to tell peoples ages on here but I'm a millennial too. The end part, when you said "who will see me, who will see me?" i feel that hard - and that.... is probably more characteristic of our generation than many others, because yes, we grew up as the so called "american dream" stopped baring fruit, exposed itself for the nightmare it is, and has been in collapse ever since, in short. plus, boomers, fentanyl crisis, watching everyone die, etc etc. anyway, thank you for writing this.
Thank you, Tesstamona. I think you're right about our generation wanting desperately to be seen. That crumbling American dream truly has been a nightmare. I appreciate your insights and your poetry. Keep up the good work.
Never has a truer statement been typed, spoken, thought, or uttered: I shouldn’t have to lose important parts of me to make myself accepted. Not only is it bullshit, it's sinfully akin to suggesting one work hard, and expect nothing.
Yep. I wrote a whole book on it. My ultimate conclusion was that no one really sees us holistically, in our shimmering totality, but ourselves. Thanks for this piece, Franco!
Oh, this is so true! We've got to market ourselves into neat little packages suitable for each job and it's ridiculous, really, like God forbid you know a little more advanced Excel and have a multitude of skills, Franco what if you take over the company overnight?
You know, Franco, when I listened to your entry, I gave it a like, like I always do, then scrolled down and read your notes...and walked away. I couldn't shake what you had written, and when I looked you up, I thought to myself, "holy shit, I'm not smart enough to be in the same room with this man... Why does he even bother to acknowledge my existence?" and it occurred to me this was precisely your point. The only thing that should matter is what you can do, not where you have been, what you have seen and done in the lifetime preceding where you are today. I forgive the left-handed slap to my generation, but this was a far more thought-provoking piece than I realized my first time through.
Thank you, David. This is one of the best comments I've read in a long time. And I appreciate you forgiving me for that one part. It's true, all generations have their advantages and disadvantages based on the social climate and so many other factors. I'm so glad that you understand what I meant and found the whole thing thought-provoking.
You know I was going to type something along these lines and I scrolled down and was glad to see David had already done it.
The impossible step... Oh, Franco, you hit a nerve there!
Love the poem, love the afterthoughts!
thank you, Fotini. :)
Well, argued, worth rereading
thank you, Vassar
I feel like I have to hide my writing experience, too. The problem with that is it makes me look bland and lacking in initiative on paper (I’m not a go-getter or a leader in mundane tedious jobs I don’t care about). But if I put it down, they’re probably going to think I won’t stay there long or that I’m going to cause trouble by not fitting in with their work culture.
Thanks for being real, this poem hits close to home.
I'm right with you, Lark. That's exactly the same reason why I feel like I have to hide it or not talk about it, because there's a certain connotation that creative people get when they enter other segments of the work world, and it's just a stereotype like anything else.
“I shouldn’t have to lose important parts of me to make myself accepted
cut entire slices off my past to be more easily digested…” What a great stanza!!
“…that no one cares about your medals from another time,” I don’t know about the absolute totality of that statement. You would be surprised at the persons you affected by your medal-winning performance and how the memory stirs up the ghosts for them.
“…checkered by the missteps of youth…” Missteps more often lead to success than they lead to failure.
“…always willing and able to take the impossible step, to make a difficult change when it is necessary
who will see, who will see?” The only person who needs to “see” is the self; it’s natural to want other persons to recognize your journey, but that’s a trait that needs to be discarded. It’s YOU, alone, who needs to see your own effort as a triumph of the self.
thank you, my friend. Missteps do often lead to more successes than they do failures in the long run.
The poem had the right tone. Yes, overcoming self-inflicted mistakes and other obstacles does develop character and problem-solving skills, which should make us more valuable to an employer than a person who has had a smooth ride. I did just about everything wrong in my twenties, but I overcame those mistakes, learned from them, and built a better life for myself. As for outside interests and accomplishments, I recall the adage: "If you want a job done, give it to a busy person."
I like that adage. Thank you for the wisdom KC.
I’ve never been able to understand “overqualified”. If someone with a uni degree is a much better cleaner (for example ) than the one who doesn’t have a uni degree, shouldn’t the better cleaner get the job? I’m being simplistic here, I know.
Agreed. It's ridiculous.
I absolutely loved the poem. Stunning in it's rawness!!
Oh, did I feel all of this and needed it today! Thank you!
Thank you Wendy, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
As soon as you mentioned "your generation" -- and the fact that I was relating to everything you were saying, I though to myself, "is he a millennial?? he has to be" - hard to tell peoples ages on here but I'm a millennial too. The end part, when you said "who will see me, who will see me?" i feel that hard - and that.... is probably more characteristic of our generation than many others, because yes, we grew up as the so called "american dream" stopped baring fruit, exposed itself for the nightmare it is, and has been in collapse ever since, in short. plus, boomers, fentanyl crisis, watching everyone die, etc etc. anyway, thank you for writing this.
Thank you, Tesstamona. I think you're right about our generation wanting desperately to be seen. That crumbling American dream truly has been a nightmare. I appreciate your insights and your poetry. Keep up the good work.
thank you, and likewise 🙏
Never has a truer statement been typed, spoken, thought, or uttered: I shouldn’t have to lose important parts of me to make myself accepted. Not only is it bullshit, it's sinfully akin to suggesting one work hard, and expect nothing.
thank you! it is bullshit!
“Don’t know how to connect the dots…” so relate to your entire poem
thank you, Marjorie. Glad you could relate to it.
Yep. I wrote a whole book on it. My ultimate conclusion was that no one really sees us holistically, in our shimmering totality, but ourselves. Thanks for this piece, Franco!
Thank you, Mary. I agree, it's hard to find someone to see us in totality as you said. I'm glad you found connection in this.
You will eventually realize that it doesn’t matter what other people think. You should be you.
so true, it doesn't matter :)
Wow - yes! This is excellent. Thanks Franco
thank you, April!