WordLily, who’s been posting like mad lately (you go, Girl!) had this entry up at her site the other day. At the end, she asks what her readers’ six word autobiographies would be. I took a stab at it, and this is what I composed:
I broke the surface; still swimming.
I went back to see if anyone else had left their autobiographies, and I was disappointed to find that no one had. I DID see a compliment on my punctuation from Lily, though, and I responded that there’s a whole WORLD of meaning behind those words, but that I’m not sure I could more adequately express the idea with more language. I explained to my lit. ladies yesterday that poetry is like that; it’s best when it’s a tiny keyhole through which one can see endless worlds.
I’m fascinated by this idea of trying to pare down a lifetime (so far) into half a dozen words, so I’m putting this to you, my Dear Ones. What would YOUR six-word autobiography be?
This is very interesting. I have been thinking about something similar lately. Let me go away and think about it for a minute.
Oh, and I love your punctuation too.
I’m somewhere between nightmares and daydreams.
I know what I want to say but I can’t get it below seven.
I’m tough because I’ve been hurt.
Whew! Got it to six (contractions cheater!).
I have spent most of my adult life traveling all over the world for work and I never really got to spend long periods of time at home with my wife and kids. Last year I came back home and I hope to be staying here forever. So my six word autobiography would be:
The road not traveled leads home.
Alan, I LOVE it.
Chatty, contractions aren’t cheating! I’m tough because I’ve been hurt, too. That’s what the whole “breaking the surface” thing’s about.
Mike, I think this is great, and speaking as the wife of someone who has to travel for business, I hope you get to stay home forever, too.
Throughout it all, i keep going.
I am stealing from the Dixie Chicks: “I took the long way ’round”.
Took the red pill. Possible do-over?
NM, that’s EXCELLENT! One of my favorite lines from that film is “why, oh why didn’t I take the BLUE pill?”
My other favorite is when Trinity says “Shhhhit!” at the very beginning. Sistah, I know how you feel…
This took a while. Six words is hard. But it’s a lovely concept.
Here:
Moonrise, darkness lifts; face turned upward.
roller coastering along; looking around corners.
Ooh … love this idea. I think that I’ll post mine as an entry in the next few days.
The journey is the destination. Truly.
(Sorry, I had to add the “truly” to get it up to six words.)
i’ve already done this, but i’m sticking with my first attempt:
Some good. Some bad. Some ugly.
Lord, it’s hard to be humble.
There has to be more there.
So much that could’ve been done…
Born. Grew up. Got more crazy.
Great question. I’m glad I came over here from Mike’s place.
I TOOK A TRIP TO FABULOUS.
I hope I am not disqualified, since I have posted this elsewhere …. but is IS mine.
Life, for sale… or To Let.
Here from Mike’s.
Mine’s on the banner of my blog, as it happens, though it’s not quite worded right for an autobiography. Better would be:
Found a path, then followed it.
I like the thought of this activity!
World’s first physician bluegrass fiction writer.
Dr. B
I was going to post about this when I saw it somewhere else but I couldn’t work mine out. None of the ones I come up with seem right.
I love NYC, it loves me.
Single White Female and liking it.
Hate my job, love my career.
Too much TV, not enough sex.
Now, some of them are funny and they all sort of work but they aren’t all encompassing like they’re supposed to. You know?
I have loved. I have mattered.
Not so easy
Off the rails, on the edge…
There is no direct link to a pschiatrist is there? I dont want them to come for me in the night…
Did you see? I just posted one (in a new entry):
Seeking, learning, striving; vision, passion, strength
http://wordlily.wordpress.com/2008/03/07/just-six-words/
I love reading these, all of them.
I am myself, and that’s enough.
Veni, Vidi, Vici. Now I vegetate.
Wow! Great contributions! Wonderful.
I had a notion to put the last phrase of Raymond Carver’s last poem (Late Fragment) but, damn, it’s SEVEN words long!
So, I’ll go for this instead
Becoming not being, hero not zombie.
She had it all with less.
No plan, but getting there anyway!
This is fab! (Here from Mike’s)
Here I am. So what happened?
Boldly going where hearts laugh freely!
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