I Know My Name and How to Spell It

 

"I have already lost touch with a couple of people I used to be."  ~ Joan Dideon

 

Copper skull strings,
hide of freckles,
choir of elders
watch me enter.
Lashes lowered,
side-eyes leftwise,
pull on sun-glasses
while cacaphoning
high note cackles,
'hurry, or go blind.'

            *
Black cats bad luck -
theys rub my legs,
warm my neck.
Cracks break mom,
I break them!
Dad's ladder -
crawl beneath to make
my bed - eyes beholding!

            *

G'head hit me
this skull is callused,
can you feel
the suture lines?
Long one leads to
my third eye blinded,
I will filter you whole
into my neoplastic gray
mass to XYZ you
in the fire of letters burned.

            *

I know my name
and how it's spelled,
my family calls me
by another.
I used to answer to it,
now I don't.  If they
choose to see me,
they may learn.

 

This poem is about: 
Me
My family
My community
My country
Our world

Comments

Additional Resources

Get AI Feedback on your poem

Interested in feedback on your poem? Try our AI Feedback tool.
 

 

If You Need Support

If you ever need help or support, we trust CrisisTextline.org for people dealing with depression. Text HOME to 741741