Their Thoughts

[jams01752]

Their Thoughts

My thoughts belong to others
I own only a subscription
My head reproduces the past
I whisper footnotes after I speak
The great men of the past speak through me
I try to hide from them
They are leather bound black and white ghosts
They haunt my writing

Hi,

Firstly an overall comment about the poem and its theme: I'm going to claim that the overall theme of the poem is that you feel you are lacking individuality due the influence of the authors or the works that you read/hear/receive information from in anyway. The tone of the poem and from the word choice used it seems that you do not like this. To have an input of my own I would suggest that there are few thoughts exempt from previous sources and there are very few truly original ideas. Our knowledge comes from the external world and therefore all of our thoughts and ideas must have a source. Even the greatest free thinkers in history have what you might call foundational ideas which they worked from. All ideas link to each other. The most you can hope for is a progressive idea rather than an unique idea (unless you are a true visionary of course).


Now,

L1+2: there seems to be a contrast here between having possession and not having possession. However, i can see the idea you're going for.
L3: I may have used a different word from reproduces in this line, maybe replicates, or duplicates.
L4: I like the way you've used footnotes in this lines, makes it clear that the work is academic.
L5+6: Not much going on here in terms of imagery or poetic techniques.
L7+8: Is this leather bound as in leather bound books? Enjoyed the imagery here and the idea that even from the grave they are influencing your writing.