You are more
You are more than your curly hair
You are more than your freckled nose
You are more than your brain
That sees numbers sideways
Or your voice that freezes up
When you are called on to speak
You are more than your muddy brown eyes
Or your big feet
Or your long toes
You are more than your test taking abilities
Or your grade point average
Or your final score
You are more than your jump shot
Or lack of one
You are more than the nights when your mind races
And you cannot sleep
You are more than the days
When that is all you do
You are more than the unwashed dishes
And the unmade beds
And the pile of laundry in the corner
That has been there
So long
That you have lost count
of how many days
It has been
You are more than the pooch in your stomach
The wrinkles around your mouth
The dimples in your thighs
You are more than your fear of the dark
Or tight spaces
Or monsters under your bed
You are more than the voices in your head
Calling you lazy
Calling you worthless
Telling you to give up
To not try anymore
You are more than the candy bar
That broke your diet
Or the rainy day
That curtailed your exercise
You are more than the neighbor
You didn’t invite over for coffee
Or the friend on the street
To whom you didn’t wave
You are more than your child
Screaming “I Hate You”
And slamming the door
You are more than the contest
that you ALMOST won
The award you were up for
But didn’t get
You are more than the house
That is too small
Too run down
And too crowded
You are more than the Thanksgiving Dinner
For one
And the echoing silence of your halls
You are more than the “If you Justs”
of your well meaning friends
and the people who tell you to just look it up
Because they want to get out of the conversation
You are more than your unemployment
Your food stamps
The people who ask you why you have a phone
But don’t have a job
You are more than the names you are called
Because of your weight
or religion
or the color of your skin
You are more than your accent
or your English as a second language
or the way people stare at you
When you struggle to read posted signs
You are more than the person you voted for
Or the person you didn’t
You are more than the opinions
Of those who voted the other way
You are more than your barronness
And the heartbreak you feel
When your best friend
Has baby number three
You are more than the nights
You have reached out for help
And there was no one there
To take your hand
You are more than the worst thing you said
The most awful thing you did
Even if
It hurt someone you love
You are more than the way
your partner has stopped looking at you
As if to really see
You are more than the nights
You go to bed alone
You are more than the secret stash
of chocolate
That you keep
for when life
Won’t stop closing in
You are more than the books you read
And the music you play
And the headphones you wear
Because you simply
Have to block out the world
You are more than the wheelchair
Even if
It’s all people see
You are more than the way
You begin to stutter
When you feel
All eyes on you
And the words
They just won’t come
You are more than the teddy bear
You take to bed
For comfort
Even though
You are now twenty three
You are more than the students
In the classroom
That you are supposed to control
Even though
Everything seems tilted
And spinning
And you are managing
Anything but
You are more than the rules
The unspoken ones
That have always guided your family
Even if
they don’t make
Any sense
Anymore
You are more than the questions
That you are dying to ask
But you stuff down
Because you don’t think
Anyone
Would really understand
You aren’t your grades
Or your hair
Or your freckles
Or your fingernails
Or your job
You are not the things
That are said
In your hearing
You are not the things
That are said
Out of it
You are not your secret tears
You are not your lonely nights
You are Your own story
With words in your soul
And chapters in your eyes
And a journey
That only you can take
You are not what they say you are
You are not who you think you are
You are you
You are beautiful
You are loved
Oh darling one
You are so much
More