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I’d like to think of myself as an individual with my own identity, thoughts, feelings, ideas. But I think my very essence is made up of the people who created me and I am the sum of all of their identities, thoughts, feelings and ideas. Whether I like it or not, the very core of me reflects my parents. How can it be otherwise? Is it not the same for everyone? Although this might be the case, how I choose to be and to live my life is down to me. I have the choice to reject or to accept those parts of me which validate who I really am. I HAVE THE CHOICE AND SO DO YOU!
Who am I?
I am my mother’s smile
I am my father’s anger
I am my mother’s calm
I am my father’s rage
I speak my mother’s pain
I speak my father’s loss
I speak of what remains
I speak of plenty and of dross
I lived my mother’s happiness
It wasn’t hard to do,
I also lived her real distress
It was my undoing too
I lived my father’s struggle
I lived my mother’s peace
I lived for harmony: sweet release,
I lived ‘twixt heaven and hell
Who am I, then?
That’s the question:
Smile, anger, calm, rage
Pain, loss, happiness,
Struggle, peace, sweet release,
I am the sum of all of these.
That’s who I am.
Copyright Marie Williams – August 2009
I love the poem, I think that a lot of people, especially those who go through such trials, feel this way concerning their identity. I agree though, we make the choice of who we are and what we accept and discard concerning ourselves.
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french_vanilla13 – thank you for “loving” the poem. Thank you for taking the time to comment – I so appreciate it! I visit your site and as you know, I am very impressed with what you have to say. All the best, Marie
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