The Headless
Noah S.
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My poem, “The Headless,” was inspired by a photo taken in New York City, 1962 by Diane Arbus. The photo was named “The Headless Man,” and depicted a decapitated mannequin sitting on a chair. What drew me to this particular photo was the lack of detail. Was this the body of an actual person who lost their head? Was this simply a mannequin propped up for the morbidly curious? What did their face look like? I sought to fabricate a story and provide answers to the questions this photo manifested. Since New York City was the location of the shoot, I decided that this story should follow the tragic life of an immigrant, specifically a refugee of war. I have grandparents who experienced war outside of the U.S. and found peace in the states, so such a story resonated with me. As the poem progresses, they protagonist “loses” parts of their sensory abilities, and by the end of the piece, they lose their head. This is meant to reflect how the protagonist loses parts of their identity while war ravages their homeland and while the only location that provides protection is ironically xenophobic.
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Exploring my creativity allows me to develop interdisciplinary skills in various fields and forge new friendships with like-minded peers. Recently I undertook creative writing and a product design course. In both classes, while befriending peers, I developed my writer's voice and presentation skills.
