u/ConsequenceOne3365

I had to start, of course, with the most famous nonsense poem ever written. The last one is basically trolling the reader, too.

That last one is actually a proof that the mathematician decided to explain in the form of a poem because… reasons?

I couldn’t *not* include the chess poem here…

The first poem is the one that inspired this whole series and the last is a reflection of what I view as the unhealthy version of my type.

That first poem is actually my all-time favorite. I consider it one of the most beautiful love stories ever told and I will die on that hill.

That third poem is the epitome of the INFJ door slam.

The first poem in particular reminds me of my dad, who is ISFJ. My mother has Alzheimer’s, and even as it has changed her, his love for her has remained constant and strong - love is not love which alters when it alteration finds.

Some themes to highlight:

Part 3 of this series. Rather than give long explanations for each of the poems I picked, I’ll give a sense of the themes I was going for and see how you all interpret the choices in the comments. The main theme here for ESTPs is “carpe diem.”

Continuing my post from yesterday, here are three poems that remind me of ISTP:

1. “Ode on Solitude” by Alexander Pope - A celebration of living life on your own terms in nature, free from the constraints of societal obligations. This is basically what would happen if Ron Swanson were a poem.

2. “We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks - Brooks wrote this poem after observing a group of young men in a pool hall. Her words capture the “rebel without a cause” vibe and cool detachment that is often associated with ISTPs while hinting at the fleeting nature of a “carpe diem” approach to life.

3. “The Red Wheelbarrow” by William Carlos Williams - Poetry experts have dissected and analyzed this poem for decades. It only contains 16 words, and yet people have proposed all manner of metaphorical meanings to it. Is there a deeper meaning, or is it really just about farm equipment? I remember arguing in high school that it was about either the Bolsheviks and Mensheviks *or* about the circulatory system. I was probably wrong on both counts. 🤷‍♀️ As someone who has spent waaaaaay too much time attempting to interpret the sparse words of my ISTP friends to figure out what they’re thinking, this poem is quite literally the first one I thought of for the type.

Some context first: I re-read a poem recently and thought to myself that it had major ENFJ vibes. That got me thinking about which poems embody characteristics of each type, and I suddenly had myself a fun project! I picked out three poems that I thought reflected each type and made little visuals with the text for everyone to enjoy. I’ll also give some context for why I chose the poems I did. I managed to not repeat any poets throughout the whole thing, so I’m pretty proud of that.

Here are the poems I picked for ISTJ:

1. “If” by Rudyard Kipling - This poem embodies British stoicism, and I thought it captured nicely the steadiness, reliability, and calm I associate with ISTJs.

2. “The Charge of the Light Brigade” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson - ISTJs (and Si-doms in general) are like catalogues of past experiences, each filed away precisely and remembered in remarkable detail. I thought it fitting to include a poem about a historical event, and this one seemed particularly appropriate given its honoring of service to country.

3. “The Unknown Citizen” by W.H. Auden - I chose this poem to highlight what I think is the unfortunate attitude others often take toward ISTJs. Too often people describe ISTJs as “boring” or “NPCs,” much like the epitaph in this poem discusses the subject. ISTJs - don’t let yourselves be minimized this way. You are amazing and some of the most reliable and conscientious individuals I know.