I Am Who I Am, poem by Simen Moflag Talleraas (Self-Portrait Poetry Series)

I AM WHO I AM
by Simen Moflag Talleraas

     I love those who love me
and those who seek me find me.

     I am what I am
          nothing more than one
               who sings love songs
                    with a beautiful voice

                         I am the world’s light as
                              long as I am in it.

                              I am the man
                         who wants to borrow
                    knowledge of the
               baked bread
          and the garlic

SOURCES:

Exodus 3:14 | I am who I am
Proverbs 8:17 | I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me
1 Corinthians 15:10 | I am what I am
Ezekiel 33:32 | nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice
John 9:5 | I am the world’s light as long as I am in it
John 18:6 | I am the man
Matthew 5:42 | who wants to borrow
Ephesians 3:4 | knowledge of the
Isaiah 44:19 | baked bread
Numbers 11:5 | and the garlic

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

How quaint it may sound,
That I merely arranged,
Some passages of text
Into this weird context

But as simple as is
My love for poetry
Guided me to the
Poetic structure

IMAGE: “Tree Against a Yellow Background” by Odilon Redon (1901).

ABOUT AUTHOR SIMEN MOFLAG TALLERAAS: Norwegian citizen, born in the 90s. Fond of found poetry, surrealist imagery and all forms of experimental poetic literature. Several Norwegian newspapers have published his socially conscious poetry.

Applause for Silver Birch Press Author Merrill Farnsworth

Merrill Farnsworth is one of the most gifted artists we’ve ever encountered. (She’s pictured at right in New York City, June 2012, at the venue where her play Jezebel’s Got the Blues was performed as part of The Puzzle Festival of New Works.) Merrill is an award-winning playwright and songwriter, actor, short story writer, and poet (and probably a few more things I’ve forgotten). Silver Birch Press was honored to publish her play Jezebel’s Got the Blues, which has received many 5-star reviews on Amazon.com, available here. Here’s one of my favorites:

5 stars: “Jezebel” has got style and class,” by Thomas Neilson: These monologues and dialogues are spiritual, profound, irreverent, funny, and thought-provoking. I loved all these tales, although my personal favorite was the story of Noah’s Ark told from the perspective of the rat on board. The author — Merrill Farnsworth — has a way of turning a traditional bible story on its head, bringing it alive, and making it meaningful and profound in a new way. I highly recommend this book.

Praise for Silver Birch Press Author, Merrill Farnsworth

In June 2012, Silver Birch Press released Jezebel’s Got the Blues…And Other Works of Imagination, a collection of performance pieces by Merrill Farnsworth. The same month, Merrill took the show to New York City, where it was among a select few featured in The Puzzle Festival of New Work. Merrill recently received a letter from one of the attendees and was kind enough to share it (see below — emphasis mine!).

TEXT OF LETTER: Encountering something familiar from another angle may give us insights attainable in no other way. Merrill Farnsworth uses this approach in her ingenious collection of monologues and dialogues inspired by the Old Testament. In her hands, these well known stories come off the page and into the hearts and imaginations of those who witness her skill. By giving voice to the rouge on Jezebel’s face, we are prompted to see the woman who is so much more than her calling-card name. By giving voice to the scissors that cut off Samson’s hair, we are invited to see the frivolous dimensions of one who relies on brute strength to navigate the world. These and other personifications open windows to meanings often missed in these great pieces of the Biblical record. For anyone who wants to probe the power of the stories of our faith, Jezebel’s Got The Blues is a find. Get it and be ready to laugh loud and hard and to weep some tears of sweet recognition.”

The Reverend Susan Blackburn Heath, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral (Columbia, South Carolina)

Find Jezebel’s Got the Blues at Amazon.com here.