Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

Autobiography In Five Short Chapters
~Portia Nelson~

Chapter 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 forever to find a way out. 

Chapter 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 this same place.
But it isn't my fault.  It still takes a long time to get out. 

 

Chapter III

I walk down the same street.  There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.  I see it there.
I still fall in... it's a habit... but, my eyes are open.  I know where I am.
It is my fault.  I get out immediately. 

 

Chapter IV

I walk down the same street.  There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.  I walk around it. 

 

Chapter V

I walk down another street. 

Read on for some questions to consider and journal about...

What are your initial reactions to this poem?

What chapter do you most identify with?

What chapter were you in last month?  Six months ago?  Last year?

What would you need to do in order to move to the next chapter?

What does your street look like?

What is your hole?

When you fall in the hole, how do you get yourself out?

What does it look like to take "forever" to get out of your hole, versus get yourself out of the hole immediately?

How could you walk around the hole?

What would it look like to walk down a different street?