Putting Myself Away Jun 20 '02    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Books Mildred D. Taylor - Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry: A Literature Unit From $8 Olivier Dunrea - Ollie From $7 The Bottom Line An oldie but a...well, I'll let you decide whether or not it's a "goodie." This is an older poem, but one that is still a favorite of mine. It marks a time in my life when I decided to be me without compromise. Like it or not, take it or leave it... _________________________________________________ Putting Myself Away "Sorry I can't stop to talk," I said, "But I'm busy packing up me. "They say I'm entirely too showy, "And more subdued is what I should be." Accused of being an individual, Formal complaints had been filed, And full compliance was requested Or I'd be arrested for being too wild. So, First I took my sense of humor And I boxed it up real tight, Then I hid it far back in a closet Where it was sure to be kept from my sight. Next I grabbed my creativity And I bound it fast with string, Carefully tying a durable knot So it couldn't dream or dance or sing. I picked up my independence And I placed it in a tin, Then I set it high upon a shelf Where it would never be free again. Hope and faith were dropped in a bag, And in its confines they would stay. While I was at it, I threw in my smile Just because it might get in the way. I gathered the rest of my personality And I sealed it in a jar. With a crayon and some masking tape, I labeled it "Who I Are." Finally, I reached in for the very last piece, But all I found was an empty hole. I discovered that by putting away parts of myself, I had already lost my soul. __________________________________________ A little sidenote: grammatical errors are intentional... ;-)

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