Intensive Care
Tiny Lights, Poem 6
“Your hair has always been combed back with a hint of natural wave as slick as Billy Graham’s.”
The inspiration for this poem…
My father was a looming figure in my life. He was as handsome as a young Billy Graham (Google him!) and just as charismatic. But he was also troubled and, although he could keep that out of his public persona, he couldn’t keep that from his family. The scene of him in the hospital after having a massive heart attack speaks to the potential crumbling of that persona. Keeping his hair in place was a physical reminder of him trying to hold on to something he was in danger of losing as he lie there out of control. My racing down the hall to find a nurse was a way to emphasize the drama of the trouble we might all be in if he couldn’t maintain that. As much as I wanted to see and know him without that persona, I sure didn’t want it to happen there and then! Masks have their place, I suppose. It was a touching moment of seeing his panic and wanting to protect his humanity (hair can be powerful!) while wanting to keep a sense of normality going as long as possible.
Writing/Meditation Prompts:
When have you seen a significant person in your life in a revealing light? Were you relieved or horrified?
How and why do we create personas or masks, and how do we put them down? Or should we? And how?
Have you ever had a time when you wanted a mask to stay put? Why? What would happen without it??
What happens when someone steps (or is forced) out of a role they have played for years? Has that ever affected you? How?
What has happened when you’ve tried to step into a different role than was expected of you? Any regrets?