my neurons’ pulsing electro beat
the rhythm of hormonal flow
my parents genes and nurture’s feat
the past drags me along in tow

i’m born my culture’s bastard child
a pinch of this, a dash of that
in tension with each other held
the product of a life compact

my jobs, my pets and what i ate
the microbes that within me grow
my prejudices obstinate
the lingering trace of where i go

i find within a tug of war
between these different identities
to separate them is to tear
it’s never i, it’s always we
it takes the world to raise a child
and this child is never truly free
from each and every one compiled
but no regrets, they made me me

For all sorts of reasons, I’ve found myself thinking a lot about identity, the sense of being distinct but influenced by so many factors. Sheldrake’s ‘Entangled Life’ raises the question of whether or not we are more network than individual. Provocative.
(21.03.24)

© Ben Quant 2024
Photo by Alina Grubnyak on Unsplash