(Metro Newspaper Wed October 30, 2019)
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In this erasure poem, Kaven juxtaposes the ideas of happiness and fame. For instance, he says “about two years ago I had very few friends but now I have about two million,” and, “I end up very tired but it’s part of life.” While some people may aspire to gain mass attention, the man described in this poem feels sadness about his situation. I think the purpose of this poem was to express how fame does not equate to greater happiness. In fact, acknowledging the scope of his impact requires much effort, and thus, he feels exhausted by this. At the same time, the man in the poem takes his fame as what it is: just another part of life. In turn, one could argue Kaven wants the reader to realize the idea of celebrity is over-hyped. At the end of the poem, the man talks about how this idea of celebrity will quickly diminish overtime because the next generation will feel newfound fame from the internet is a normal part of life. Given its normalcy, fame can engender feelings of happiness but also sadness, which is what the subject of the poem is experiencing.