Thursday, April 1, 2010

Poem For the Day

Who Am I?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer


Who am I? They often tell me

I stepped from my cell’s confinement

Calmly, cheerfully, firmly,

Like a squire from his country-house.

Who am I? They often tell me

I used to speak to my warders

Freely and friendly and clearly,

As though it were mine to command.

Who am I? They also tell me

I bore the days of misfortune

Equally, smilingly, proudly,

Like one accustomed to win.


Am I then really all that which other men tell of?

Or am I only what I myself know of myself?

Restless and longing and sick, like a bird in a cage,

Struggling for breath, as though hands were

compressing my throat,

Yearning for colors, for flowers, for the voices of birds,

Thirsting for words of kindness, for neighborliness,

Tossing in expectation of great events,

Powerlessly trembling for friends at an infinite distance,

Weary and empty at praying, at thinking, at making,

Faint, and ready to say farewell to it all?


Who am I? This or the other?

Am I one person today and tomorrow another?

Am I both at once? A hypocrite before others,

And before myself a contemptibly woebegone weakling?

Or is something within me still like a beaten army,

Fleeing in disorder from victory already achieved?

Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions of mine.

Whoever I am, Thou knowest, 0 God, I am Thine!


March 4,1946

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for posting this. I have part of this poem and thought it was the whole thing.

    Who am I? They tell me

    I bore the days of misfortune

    Equally, smilingly, proudly,

    Like one accustomed to win.


    Am I then really all that which other men tell of?

    Or am I only what I myself know of myself?

    Restless and longing and sick, like a bird in a cage


    Wow. What a difference the entire poem makes?! The meaning has changed. Sadly, I don't like it as much. I liked wondering about this person, about all of us when we only live inside of our own minds. The entire poem gives an answer. I'd rather have the wondering.

    see ya,
    aunt katy

    ReplyDelete