English followed by une version en français y una versión en español.

It may be seen that the three language versions are not quite the same, to include in their conclusions, and that after the English version an alternative conclusion—a post-publication idea—is now proposed.

English

Was I raised to be somebody other than me?

Was I raised to be somebody

no one could be?

All the places taken

in other centuries?

With much that I’ve found

I would not agree.

Was I raised to be somebody

other than me?

*

Some months after publication an alternative ending has come to mind:

Was I raised to be somebody

who turned out to be me?

Français

Je ne me sens pas tout à fait le mec qu’on a prévu

Étais-je censé devenir quelqu’un

qui n’existait plus ?

Qui aurait pu prospérer

bien auparavant ?

Parmi ce que j’ai trouvé

peu de choses m’ont convenu.

Je ne me sens pas tout à fait

le mec qu’on a prévu.

Español

¿Me criaron para ser alguien que nunca fui?

¿Me criaron para ser alguien

que nadie podía ser?

¿Que podría haber prosperado

algunos siglos atrás?

Poco de lo que he hallado

se ajusta a mí.

¿O me criaron para ser alguien

que nunca fui?

— Poem(s) and photograph by William Eaton.

Check out Eaton’s 2024 collection of poetry and prose: 4 billion eggs.