The Iron

Henry Rollins

by Henry Rollins












I believe that the definition of definition is reinvention. To not be like your parents. To not be like your
 friends. To be yourself.




Completely.

When I was young I had no sense of myself. All I was, was a product of all the fear and
humiliation I suffered. Fear of my parents. The humiliation of teachers calling me "garbage
can" and telling me I'd be mowing lawns for a living. And the very real terror of my fellow
students. I was threatened and beaten up for the color of my skin and my size. I was
skinny and clumsy, and when others would tease me I didn't run home crying, wondering why.

I knew all too well. I was there to be antagonized. In sports I was laughed at. A spaz. I
was pretty good at boxing but only because the rage that filled my every waking moment
made me wild and unpredictable. I fought with some strange fury. The other boys thought I was crazy.

Henry Rollins
(Portrait by Timothy Greenfield-Banders)

1 comment:

Ellie said...

Love The Iron. Thanks for posting that, I'll have a new perspective when I pick up my max snatch today.