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My poi are not a tool. They are not a prop. They are not an artificial entity upon which I imbue meaning and metaphor. My poi are not another person or a cell phone. My poi are not a belt or a cup of coffee. My poi are an extension of me. My poi are a part of me. They are a living, breathing extension of my hopes, dreams, and ambitions. They feel my sadness and joy, my aches and pains. They are as much a part of me as my hands, fingers, and eyes. They are an extension of my expression. They emote with my pursed lips. They leap for joy with my springy legs. My poi are not an other thing. They are a part of me.

My poi can be made into a metaphor. They can be made into an object...but this is not their primary function. Their primary function is to move with me as I explore my world, to convey to the audience my wonder, confusion, and yearning. To create a canvas upon which my inner world can be painted. My poi are my connection to the outside world. They show others what I'm thinking about and they allow me to exchange information with my friends, strangers, and random passersby.

My poi are my frustration when I can't move how I want to move. My poi are my joy when my body locks perfectly into the places and lines I want to see. My mind can be clumsy, but my poi are always nimble. They are my teachers and my guides, tuning my mind to greater insight and perfection. Some days my mind tells the poi what to do, some days my poi are the patient tutors telling my mind what it is able to do. My poi never sleep, never grow tired of me. My poi are always happy to do what I wish of them.

My poi grow with me. My poi are a gateway through which I meet new people, engage with new minds and ideas. My poi are the common thread of humanity that unite me with people I would otherwise have nothing in common with. They are my solace on a hard day and the reward waiting for me at the end of a good one.

My poi are not a tool. A tool is an object that fulfills a function and then is inert--a lifeless thing thing that people possess, lose, or replace. My poi are an extension of me. My poi are a part of me. And I am a part of them.