The Giant’s Back

I stand now upon the giant’s back
How long ago did it fall, I’ve lost track
Once tall and sturdy, it finally started to waver
And came tumbling down once it lost all favor

Many moons ago I stood upon its shoulders, tall and proud
Looking upon beautiful vistas, I stood above the crowd
My insights carried me to fame and fortune
I wish I had then began to recognize the distortions

My giant’s balance had begun to waver
As his standing started to fall into disfavor
Until he eventually came tumbling down
And I with him, smacking the ground

So now I find myself upon my old friend’s back
As I reflect upon the past, I plan my next attack
To shore up the footing of my old cohort
I need to put in the work, gain more support

As I set my sights on the stars once again
I start to make progress, use my brain
While my goal may yet remain far away
Perhaps I could become a giant myself someday.

© Jared Denstad

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The inspiration for this poem came from the popular saying “If I see farther, it is because I stand on the shoulders of giants”. The phrase is generally used to mean that progress is only made by taking the research others that came before us did and building upon it. We have only advanced our civilization to our current point because we can build off the works of people like Plato, Einstein, Newton, etc. that did much of the work before us.

In writing this poem, I wanted to ask the question, “What would happen if the fundamentals someone relied upon all their life were proven false?” This could be as complex as gravity being debunked (It hasn’t) to something simple like a role model or family member you rely on being revealed as something totally different from what you are used to. How do people deal with the sudden shock this causes, and how do they adapt and move on from it? These are the questions this poem attempts to examine.

As far as the poem’s name, I figured that if standing on a giant’s shoulder was considered good, than standing on their back and holding them down was probably the worst standing you could have. Standing on the fallen giant’s back is intended to represent the inability of some people to adapt when they face a harsh situation. By standing on the giant’s back instead of its shoulders, they are not only failing to reacquire the greatness they once had, but are impeding any possibility of recovery for the ideal or theory the fallen giant represents.

I hope you enjoyed this poem. I know the theme may have been a little more difficult to understand this time, but I felt it worthwhile to write about. Feel free to give me a follow, and I will see you again soon.