The germ of I Me Mine came to Matthew Kohut when he startled awake one day on a train that was passing through the area where he grew up. With its images of soft and hard means of engagement, the poem is about the process of learning to recognize delusions in the stories we tell ourselves.
I Me Mine
does not die easily
white vinegar
a hard-bristle brush
and gentle pressure
wash away purple mildew
that spreads on damp tiles
Matt Kohut
Matthew Kohut has worked as a writer, teacher, and musician for twenty-five years. His poetry has been published in Leaping Clear (fall 2020), ‘The Dreamers Anthology: Writing Inspired by Martin Luther King and Anne Frank,’ and Ekphrastik Review. He is the co-author of a book on social judgment theory that has been translated into nine languages. For the past decade his work has focused on helping people communicate more effectively in high-stakes settings.
1 thought on “Matthew Kohut – I Me Mine”