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Narrowing the Who
by Alison McKenzieI am not this eyeshadow,
These blushing cheeks,
This hair,
These stretchmarks.
I am not these teeth,
These eyeglasses,
These clothes,
These feet.
I am not these words,
Nor experience,
Nor exchange.
See beyond my eyes,
And you will see into my soul.
But I am not these orbs.
I am not this womb,
These breasts,
Or the lips that will send you to heaven.
I am not these hands,
Nor what they fashion.
I am not these thoughts,
Or what becomes of them.
I am not the children born to me,
Nor the chattel of the husbands whose names I’ve penned.
I am not your daughter,
Your sister,
Your mother,
Your wife.
I am not my name.
I am not even the day I was born.
I am every sunset,
Every snowflake.
I am entangled.
The wind carries my every to your one,
And one becomes all
I am.
12/01/2010 Posted on 12/01/2010
Copyright © 2024 Alison McKenzie
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by Kristina Woodhill on 12/02/10 at 04:11 PM This built steadily to that last dynamite stanza. Thank you, Ali! |
| Posted by Gabriel Ricard on 12/02/10 at 04:27 PM I love how this winds down. Those last few lines are just perfect, so well-said. |
| Posted by Charlie Morgan on 12/04/10 at 10:19 PM ...ali, put your damn pen down. write no more, forever...m.c. hammer claimed 'you can't touch this!' ...well, gal, this too is Untouchable. i envy, i envy...and don't think i missed the line about heavenly lips. |
| Posted by Adam Dyson on 12/09/10 at 10:13 PM Brilliant and empowering. |
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