Loneliness and Isolation

The poem explores the idea of loneliness and emotional isolation within the framework of an artificial community. The opening phrase, “Welcome to the endless high-school / Reunion” (Lines 1-2) creates a false sense of solidarity and companionship. It alludes to the idea that “everyone is welcome,” although in welcoming everyone equally, the sense of individual self becomes lost. The repeated use of the word “Let’s” throughout the poem enhances this idea, serving the dual purpose of both drawing the reader in and amalgamating them as part of a larger, faceless whole. As the poem progresses, it alludes to a broad, open platform in which everyone’s innermost soul is on display. In reality, however, what is displayed is not the truth of one’s being but a manufactured identity. This exacerbates the feeling of isolation and of being misunderstood.

In the closing lines of...