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I'm obviously not OP so I can't tell you what those words meant to them personally, but I can tell you as someone who's had issues with dissociation for a while now, that's a pretty spot-on representation of what it feels like to be in a sort of dissociative state during a conversation. It's like the *you* that you really are kind of "fades away" into the background of your mind and suddenly you don't feel like a whole person, but more like you're piloting some sort of flesh machine called "the human body". Almost like subconsciously forcing yourself into an out-of-body experience to protect yourself from all the worst potential outcomes your anxiety can conjure up in your brain. For example, in my experience (as it relates to OP's poem), those lines are sort of depicting that aforementioned feeling combined with an overwhelming insecurity about not being as much of a fully actualized person as whomever you're talking to -- i.e. "I am now retreating within myself because holy fuck I do

I think the diction in this poem(“fuzzy” and “empty”) help depict how it feels to dissociate.  My only concern is “Talking to me as if/ I am flesh and bone/ Hoping to hide my/ Fuzzy/ E m p t y/ Reality”. Can you provide clarity on the meaning behind as I’m a bit confused. If not , that’s okay!

This poem gave me an interesting discomfort. I found the societal detachment relatable. Compelling, thought provoking work. Stayed in my head. Great job!

I think the title perfectly sums up the poem. It left me feeling dissociated and empty which, I assume, was your objective. The only word I would potentially get rid of is "fuzzy." It doesn't seem necessary to me.

So, I've dissociated before due to anxiety. I wouldn't get rid of the 'fuzzy'. If I had to, I'd replace it with a similar word. The sensation of dissociation absolutely has a texture to it - an uneasy, unreal 'fingernails against velvet' kind of feel to it that can only be described through synesthetic metaphors. 

In fact, if anything, I'd play around these metaphors even more. I'd give the listener a feel for what it is that you're experiencing. What else is it? Do your hands feel yours anymore? Are you floating everywhere around you, just not in your body? I'd say play with that discomfort.

i really liked this. I've experienced intense disassociation & "cartoon people" resonates so much. In fact, I think that needs to be the title. I love the repetition of the first lines, "Cartoon people. They are all cartoon people." The "they are" has a formality to it - like if someone was talking normally they'd say "they're all." I have a recommendation - how about changing 

"Talking to me as if  
I am flesh and bone  
Hoping to hide my//  Fuzzy Empty" 

you cut flesh and bone and make it something like 

"Talking to me as if I am not another person opening the door"

Cartoon people.

They are all cartoon people.

Talking to me as if

I am flesh and bone 

Hoping to hide my 

Fuzzy

E m p t y

Reality

As another person in my body 

Opens the door

Hopefully they can save me

As I am not home

https://www.reddit.com/r/OCPoetry/comments/xrgsxx/overdose/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=ios_app&amp;utm_name=iossmf

https://www.reddit.com/r/OCPoetry/comments/xra049/he_dreamt_of_strangers/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=ios_app&amp;utm_name=iossmf

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