THE SOLIPSIST by Troy Jollimore

After reading all the comments from a workshop, long since past, about one my stories, I needed something different.

I picked up my wife’s copy of Poetry and looked through the contents. I spotted The Solipsist and wondered what the heck does solipsist mean?

sol·ip·sism (sŏl'ĭp-sĭz'əm, sō'lĭp-) n. Philosophy

1. The theory that the self is the only thing that can be known and verified.
2.The theory or view that the self is the only reality.

[Latin sōlus, alone; see s(w)e- in Indo-European roots + Latin ipse, self + -ism.]

sol'ip·sist n., sol'ip·sis'tic adj.

I like this word. I would like to add it the words that I would consider for a tattoo. This word is also a nice title for the verse that followed.

The poem is an argument, an enthymeme if you will that all of creation is contained within you, me, and that guy on the bus who will just not shut up.

After reading this poem, I remembered why I spent most of my college days as a creative writing student of poetry. This poem made me question why I have spent the last five years studying fiction and prose.

Just look at these ending lines:

Which raises a question

that comes up again and again,
as to why
God would make ear and eye
to face outward, not in?

Here is everything that I’ve ever wanted to say about God, in such a small space. I need to read more poetry.

You can read it by clicking here: The Solipsist.

Jollimore, Troy. “The Solipsist.” Poetry. January 2008, Vol. CCXCI, No. 4 Ed. Christian Wiman, et all. p. 306