"There’s a Hole in My Sidewalk" – Portia Nelson

[Anonymous]

I saw this poem (“Autobiography in Five Short Chapters” by Portia Nelson) at the same high school I visited when I saw the poem about self-esteem I just shared. I am adding one thought I had after reading it.

Quote:

I

I walk down the street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I fall in.

I am lost … I am helpless.

It isn’t my fault.

It takes me forever to find a way out.

II

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I pretend I don’t see it.

I fall in again.

I can’t believe I am in the same place,

but, it isn’t my fault.

It still takes a long time to get out.

III

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I see it is there.

I still fall in … it’s a habit.

My eyes are open.

I know where I am.

It is my fault.

I get out immediately.

IV

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I walk around it.

V

I walk down another street.

The thought I want to add are alternatives to the current Chapter 5:

Quote:

A)

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I post signs to warn others who also walk down that street.

Quote:

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I cover the hole with strong iron, so others can cross it with less chance of falling in.

It takes a long time to create the iron covering.

Quote:

C)

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I fill the hole, so others will not fall in.

It takes a long time to fill the hole.

Quote:

D)

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I start to fill the hole and enlist others to help me do so.

We fill the hole much more quickly than I could have done alone.

In proposing these alternative chapters, I am NOT trying to de-legitimize the author’s original poem. I’m just saying that, as with most things, there is no right answer for all – that there is more than one way to solve most problems we face that could be considered “right”.

Also, some holes must be avoided; some holes can be “fixed” individually; some holes can be fixed collectively; some holes must be fixed by others. The key is not confusing the holes and thinking the wrong solution will work – or thinking it is best to avoid all holes categorically.

[Anonymous]

I walk down a different street and see my brother has fallen in a different hole.

I reach down and lift him up.

With a smile, I tell him I fell in a similar hole over on the other street and filled that one in,

And I have no idea where our tax money goes in this town!

[Author]

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