Preformationism
Anonymous
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Preformationism is a formerly popular theory that organisms develop from miniature versions of themselves. That I chose it as my title might tip you off—I’m a tad bit fixated on my childhood. This collection is a product of that childhood. Semi-autobiographical and semi-fantastical, these poems portray my relationships with my parents, my peers, my perception of the world, and myself. They’re a little sad, a little hopeful, and as obsessively introspective as I am. I’m often an intensely private person; I hated writing in elementary school because my teachers would always make us share with the class, or god forbid, our parents. So, after reevaluating my opinions on writing, I wrote this in the dead of night without telling anyone. But I’m also sharing it to be scrutinized by strangers. Aside from the free money, it’s because bottling up everything just… doesn’t work. I’m lucky enough to have had a relatively trauma-free childhood, but there’s an inherent trauma that comes with growing up, especially growing up different. Human instinct is to say nothing and hope no one picks up on your weakness, but you have to be vulnerable with others if you ever want to be comfortable with yourself. So this is a catharsis of sorts—a creative expression of all the things I’ve felt and been too scared to say for fear of judgment. I get to scream them, however metaphorically, to the world. And maybe someone will see these words and think, ‘I can say this, too.’
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I think creativity is a catharsis and a metamorphosis. It's taking all the messy, awful, wonderful things we feel inside and turning them into something we can see, and in the process turning ourselves into something new.
