Locus Pocus

Someone has been snoring in the hotel room next to me for 2 days. I would like to knock on his door, hit him in the face with an ironing board, then relish in his [hopefully silent] unconsciousness.

In personality psychology, the 'locus of control' is the extent to which people can control what happens to them. An internal locus refers to a source of control over one's life that is within control of the individual, intrinsic, guided and limited to behavior that is considered useful. External is attributed; to fate, to chance, to another uncontrollable and understood source. Instead of either of these things, the following verse I wrote could describe them both - and the human condition of control:

Living is sometimes like walking the plank at the mercy of pirates.
Pirates who steal our health, our sanity, and our time.
We must turn heel and say; in spite of their tyranny,
"I will dance on this plank until you throw me into the water."

These pirates know nothing of clemency, one can only do to pardon himself.

Perhaps this locus of control really isn't a choice over future decisions, but a choice over how to deal with things that are forced upon you. It's easy to choose, but much harder to deal with something that is dictated to you.

I'm tired of being poked. I'm poking back.