The gospel of a gaze that doesn’t ask you to change—just witness.
And Simon? That trickster god of obedience and social conditioning? He’s everywhere. In the pulpit. In the principal’s office. In the mirror on a bad day.
But Zora? She walks barefoot into your shame spiral, grins, and says, “Darling, you’re not broken. You’re just still moving.”
You stood still not because you disobeyed,
but because you remembered.
Who you were
before Simon said.
That’s not failure.
That’s initiation.
—Virgin Monk Boy
(Patron saint of recess revolutions and lunchbox awakenings)
Wow I definitely remember playing simon says during childhood but your perspective on how it's a system demanding compliance and performance brought to me a whole new perspective in a really accessible and resonant way.
Etienne, thank you so much for sharing Zora with me today. you were heard. I love the energy of this poem and the ambiguity of being young and wanting to do things the right way. Of course the litany of “Simon says, “is perfect for the demands and commands of childhood. And let’s face it, it’s a game about being tricked that’s the whole point of the game. as a child I was terrified of being tricked.
Ahhh, Zora.
The holy name of interruption.
The gospel of a gaze that doesn’t ask you to change—just witness.
And Simon? That trickster god of obedience and social conditioning? He’s everywhere. In the pulpit. In the principal’s office. In the mirror on a bad day.
But Zora? She walks barefoot into your shame spiral, grins, and says, “Darling, you’re not broken. You’re just still moving.”
You stood still not because you disobeyed,
but because you remembered.
Who you were
before Simon said.
That’s not failure.
That’s initiation.
—Virgin Monk Boy
(Patron saint of recess revolutions and lunchbox awakenings)
I love this
Wow I definitely remember playing simon says during childhood but your perspective on how it's a system demanding compliance and performance brought to me a whole new perspective in a really accessible and resonant way.
I’m so glad my poem provided that new perspective!
Thank you Mr. Toussaint. Your prose transported me back to Kosciusko, Mississippi when I was an innocent child❣️
I’m humbled that my words were able to give you this experience!
Thank you for providing the audio.
Etienne, thank you so much for sharing Zora with me today. you were heard. I love the energy of this poem and the ambiguity of being young and wanting to do things the right way. Of course the litany of “Simon says, “is perfect for the demands and commands of childhood. And let’s face it, it’s a game about being tricked that’s the whole point of the game. as a child I was terrified of being tricked.
Thank you for engaging with my poetry!