To be me

I am me

So let me be 

With my larger than life imperfections

And my tiny little features of redemption

My contradictions 

And my harmonisations

Being all is what I am 

Yet nothing at all for you to identify 

And put into neat boxes 

With yellowed labels

Pasted on an assembly line

Of neat and tidy definitions

I am this also 

And that

Flowing and fluid

The sound of freedom 

Identify not me as your own

Or as the ‘other’ to disown

I do not vie to belong 

Or make you hum my secret song

My song of wonderful dissimilarities 

Cos one note alone does not make a song

That can carry histories and dreams along

Beauty lies not in uniformity 

Or in being what you think is right

Beauty lies in difference 

In sound and in sight 

So let differences be, 

each special and unique

Let voices ring out loud and clear 

And have the space to speak

Show me how brave you are

By gagging not my voice

But by hearing those who are not you 

However different their choice 

Leave me be

To be me