Home » Poems » Kai Michael Neumann » At the End of the Road

Notes About The Poem

A 'Panopticon' is a watchtower overlooking a circular prison. The glass of the look out is mirrored, so that inmates cannot look inside. They assume, that they are constantly watched and eventually internalise the warden's prescriptions and make them their own.

The idea was originally put forward by the utilitarian Jeremy Bentham as a serious proposal for prison reform.

Michel Foucault adapted the idea to a philosophical construct and suggest to us, that we can break the walls by 'extimating' what does not belong to us, rather than internalising like sheep to the slaughter.

At the End of the Road

Breaking free from collusion

A watch tower stands tall a look out in the circular prisons 
surrounded by wardens laying down prescriptions and rules
with us in the centre fragmented in dead ends and schisms
mirrored glass no one inside we internalise as obedient fools

At the gate high walls conscience barriers and road blocks
imagined barbed wire where we pay fines in constant delusion
monitored in constriction we fail to walk outside of that box
abide by dogma norms lack vision to approach our confusion

Afraid of cul de sacs dead ends stop signs for individual drive
we halt and abide arrested immobilised for society’s sake
accept torturous certainty admit to all guilt and as we shrive
cannot distinguish from needs what is causing us mind ache

Roundabout’s exits guarded by our very own straight jackets
we spin around like puppets on strings to our master’s delight
The ‘panopticon’ demands obedience and we cannot attack it
for lack of conviction rebellion introspection rigorous insight

Unless we break free from chains of what others demand
disregard our dreams our beauty default on individual virtue
the road ends at a four way stop where forever we stand
disunited abolished forgotten and constant imagined taboo 


4th January 2017

Written for contest: At the end of the road

freedomquatrain

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Anisha Dutta

Date: 2/13/2017 12:09:00 PM

So nice piece with wonderful vocanulary. Congrats.

Pandita Sietesantos

Date: 2/13/2017 7:44:00 AM

I see why this is a winner, Kai - very deep, very powerful piece! Congratulations on your win! I love it and it's a 7 in my books! Best regards. Pandita

Anisha Dutta

Date: 2/4/2017 9:31:00 PM

So creative, so deep, so emotional with rich vocabulary Congrats Kai to win on your wonderful poem.

Kai Michael Neumann
Date: 2/5/2017 2:41:00 AM

Thank you Anisha. Many wishes, Kai

James Inman

Date: 1/19/2017 9:40:00 AM

Very deep, well thought out write Kai.

Kai Michael Neumann
Date: 2/5/2017 2:42:00 AM

Thank you James. I appreciate that. Wishes, kai

Jannie Breedt

Date: 1/14/2017 12:16:00 AM

What a paradigm to understand. Its a metter of - straighten up and fly right. It could be an answer or a nightmare where psychopaths breed. To face a mirror instead of a guard is a twist in my thinking. Superbly written

Kai Michael Neumann
Date: 1/14/2017 2:18:00 AM

Thank you Jannie. The psychopaths are the ones ruling society and we are the ones allowing them to do so. Many wishes, Kai

Wendy Rycroft

Date: 1/6/2017 5:56:00 AM

Very good I agree with Darren and everybody else a really powerful poem x

Kai Michael Neumann
Date: 1/14/2017 2:17:00 AM

Thank you Wendy. The mirrors can be shattered. Wishes, Kai

Darren White

Date: 1/5/2017 12:59:00 PM

Man this is good, and is is so true... We all behave in a certain way already, we are being watched. Our every word typed in for Poetry Soup is being recorded somewhere, every step we take. And still, we retain individuality and can be courageous in our own way, if only we think out of the box, the Panopticon.

Kai Michael Neumann
Date: 1/14/2017 2:16:00 AM

Thanks Darren. I appreciate that. Trying my best to see beyond the mirrors. Wishes, Kai