Push The Button

Push The Button
by Keaton Foster




In this chest,
Between these eyes,
Deeper still,
Within my mind,
Push the button.
Set it off.
Turn it on.
Shut it down.
I don’t know
What it does
Or how it got there.
I can’t understand
Where the wires run,
How it is supplied,
How it maintains power,
And if it has a purpose.
Dare I even say
More than one?
I can’t control it myself.
I can’t engage the apparatus.
All that I can do is hope
That others find a way
Towards activation.
Will I shut down?
Will I turn on?
Will I explode?
Or, dare it be, implode?
Will I take all of you with me,
Or will I alone suffer
The consequences
Of such pressure applied?
Push the button.
Fear not the intentions.
I am asking you to do it,
Pleading really.
Find the trigger,
The very inner,
And press it down.
Stand back and watch
That which I become,
Or that which I don’t.
Maybe nothing will happen.
Then again,
Maybe everything will.
Will you take the chance?
Will you do what I wish?
If this mind is a bomb,
If this heart is a grenade,
If these circuits activated
Cause a mass extinction event,
Just know it will not be
Because of you
Or anything you have done.
You are just the weight
Needing to be applied,
A means to an end,
Or something else
Beyond everything before.
We just won’t know
Until it is too late
To understand.
So please,
Push the button,
Activate that which
Cannot be turned off,
Repositioned,
Or shut down.
Because life and or death
Are clearly not an end,
But something of meaning
For everyone involved
To come to understand…



Written by Keaton Foster Copyright © 2024

Synopsis

"Push The Button" by Keaton Foster is a powerful exploration of inner turmoil, vulnerability, and the enigmatic nature of one's own mind and emotions. The poem's structure and repetition of phrases like "Push the button" and "Set it off" evoke a sense of urgency and desperation. The speaker describes a metaphorical button within themselves, representing an unknown mechanism or force that they cannot control or understand.

Analysis

Themes

Inner Conflict: The speaker grapples with an internal struggle, unsure of the purpose or consequences of the button within. This symbolizes the often incomprehensible aspects of our own minds and emotions.

Vulnerability: By asking someone else to "push the button," the speaker reveals their vulnerability and need for external intervention to navigate their inner chaos.

Uncertainty and Fear: The poem delves into the fear of the unknown, questioning what will happen if the button is pushed—whether it will lead to self-destruction, transformation, or nothing at all.

Interdependence: The plea for someone else to act highlights a deep sense of interdependence, suggesting that the speaker cannot face their inner turmoil alone.

Imagery and Symbolism

The Button: Represents a trigger or catalyst for change, action, or revelation within the speaker.

Wires and Circuits: Symbolize the complex and often hidden inner workings of the mind and heart, which are difficult to decipher or control.

Explosion/Implosion: Reflects the potential for either external destruction or internal collapse, highlighting the duality of outward impact versus inward suffering.

Tone and Mood

Tone: The tone is pleading and urgent, reflecting the speaker's desperation and need for resolution.
Mood: The mood is tense and foreboding, filled with a sense of impending action and its unpredictable consequences.

Structure

The poem's free verse structure, with its lack of strict rhyme or meter, mirrors the chaotic and uncertain nature of the speaker's thoughts. The repetition of phrases like "Push the button" and "Set it off" creates a rhythmic insistence, driving home the speaker's urgency.

Interpretation

"Push The Button" can be seen as a metaphor for dealing with mental health issues, where the button represents a critical point of action or decision that the speaker feels incapable of addressing alone. It speaks to the complexity of human emotions and the need for support from others in navigating these internal landscapes. The poem's open-ended nature leaves readers contemplating the outcomes of such an action, reflecting on their own fears and uncertainties about what lies within their own minds.

In essence, Keaton Foster's poem is a poignant reflection on the human condition, the mysteries of the self, and the profound impact of seeking and receiving help from others.