Who We Are

A brief reflection on what defines us.

A red sweater, a ticking watch, ballet shoes. The little things that make us who we are.

A box of photographs, a playlist from our teenage years, an embarrassing Myspace account. The things from our past that made us who we are.

A mother who cared, a father who protected, someone either defined or blank that we have loved or will love. The people that made us who we are.

Red hair, brown eyes, a tan. The physical things that make us who we are.

A vacation home in Maine, a treehouse, a schoolyard. The places that made us who we are.

All well and good, but there's a catch.

A discouraging letter, an eviction notice, a failing grade. The little things.

A broken heart, the death of a friend, a repressed and ancient memory. The things from our past.

A convict, a stalker, a traitorous spouse. The people.

A jagged scar, a broken nose, heart disease. The physical things.

A hospital, the scene of a car wreck, a funeral home. The places.

In this life, we must take the good with the bad.

What choice, after all, do we have?

Reviews

[alanwgraham]

None! On second thoughts, we do have some influence on our futures! You have addressed the fundamental question of who we are which we should all be considering. It has been one of the recurring themes in my own writing.
Regards and take heart!
Alan

[Emere]

Thank you!

[Hannah]

Such a creative way to present this idea. I love all the little things you bring up. It's all these little things that make us who we are.

[Emere]

Thanks Hannah! :)

[emipoemi]

....I really don't know what to say to this..... honestly....I like it! The structure of good vs bad is nicely done. It somewhat reads like a children's story of sorts....something moralistic.....but then again, it may be a bit too abstract and profound for them. This also strikes me as more poetic than story, but that last line kind of ties it into a story. So it's kind of everywhere at once....but kind of in a good way....for in a way it depicts the craziness and unpredictability of life and all the ups and downs that it hurls at us. Much enjoyed! Well done!

[Emere]

Thank you! A lot of my writing is just "hm, that's kind of an interesting thought." Followed by frantic typing as I try to find some kind of structure or meaning. That's why it comes our kind of fragmented, and why I could never consider it as a career, lol.

[emipoemi]

Well, it all depends on what you do with the writing; continue with poetry or prose. Like I said, this particular piece is a bit everywhere, but in a good way. Your stories however, are grand. Nocturne is beyond words. I'm certain that one would be going places if you send it to the right magazine.

[Emere]

Thank you so much for saying that. It really means a lot to me, especially since I'm a bit insecure about my writing.

[emipoemi]

Don't be. There are many on here who would say that if I like it, it means you're going to go places if you play your cards right. (there are also the few divas who think I'm too arrogant in what I do, but they - there's only like 5 or 6 - can answer to my 126 friends who beg me to critique their work. Keep at it ;) You know what you're doing; the spirit of the pen is your friend, and it's very happy to be (for you show that you're just as much a friend to them).