I am

I am who I am

I am the one I was yesterday
and the one I am today

I am the one I find out
that I am every single day. The one, the ones.

I am what I was given
what I was tought
what was imposed by others.
I am all of these. But I also am
the shadow of light that I breathed
and the sound of the bird that I heard
and the tears and the laughter
and the thought, the images, the lyrics.

I am all of these

And all the things I felt pain for
the things I loved—I am.

I am what I struggled to be

So that I will not cease from being.