Identity Poem by Della Perry

I have a name, I exist,
I have a birth certificate to prove it.
I'm sure I'm alive?
I feel pain often enough, Oh I do feel the pain, the angst!
But maybe I'm wrong, I mustn't exist for;
You, you look right through me
Like a pane of glass, an open door.
You even talk over my head or shush me with a palm
And talk louder over my voice.
I am confused, I see a reflection in the mirror,
It hurts if I pinch my cheeks, my arms!
You are so rude
Trying hard to be nice gets you nowhere
You don't give an ounce about me or us.
You see nothing, feel nothing
But you are the same as me.
You have a family that loves you,
You are a son, daughter, brother, sister.
I know who I am,
I'm proud of my identity of course.
I do not hate, I encompass all.
I you will see what is within me, not without.
I'm not that much different to you
You would see if you tried.
I cannot help that I am poor
That my parents had to toil so hard for me.
That my trousers are short and worn.
But I was lucky for I was loved and taught to love.
Each of us is a jigsaw piece that fits together
Making our mother earth a beautiful place,
Rich and poor,
We could be friends
Be unique, do not be a clone,
Allow the love to flourish around us.
Enjoy our identities, acknowledge each others attributes
Admire each others' identities
Push judgements to the side
For within most of us is a loving person that is striving to survive.