Call me anything but polite,

For you have not seen my times of spite—

You have not seen my abrupt mornings,

Or my dinner-less nights.

 

Call me anything but selfish

Because I have sacrificed a whole life, I’ve given

Many nights since losing myself to find

You.

 

Call me anything but smart—

All I know is what you have never questioned,

And the answers I would never share.

 

Call me anything but ugly,

Trust me,

A shawty knows the time and place to slay—

And I often carry many faces throughout the day.

 

Call me anything but sensitive—

I can’t help but hear, see, touch, taste

And smell the shit others have been through.

I am only home to the nomads,

Seek to strengthen those without clones,

Or hearts to belong to.

 

Call me anything but a loner,

For I have only found the I in team,

Even when I did not have one.

 

Call me anything but loving,

For there are times

I feel only wrath to those

That have raised me.

 

Call me anything but fearless

For there are monsters under my bed,

I have not dared to meet—

Somehow I’d wish to keep a secret.

 

Call me anything but crazy,

For I have called myself this all along—

Convinced from the uninterrupted dawns to nights

I have talked myself from my head, out of the red,

And back to the ride.

 

Call me anything but strong,

For I wouldn’t know what you meant.

I can lift myself from the ledge,

But not a car from a bridge—

Nor a child from a fire

But I can admit I have problems

That I allow to limit my power.

Call me anything but alive,

I am convinced this is not living

I have learned to survive in captivity—

In hopes of dying safely.

 

Call me anything but paranoid,

For I was raised by a mother,

Who learned everything from no one--

And was saved by none other.

 

Call me anything but a hippie,

For there are drugs I have not tried yet—

I actually prefer my wood to have a green head,

And not the last name of something bred from greed.

 

Call me anything but weird,

I have only chosen to authentically skip through lives,

Stand for myself—

And kneel for rights.