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I Am Or Maybe I Am Not

I am Still I wonder Who I am Am I who Am I what Am I where Am I here I am Yet I am not My words travel beyond myself I am made up of small and large Sometimes broken discarded pieces I am not Who you think I am I am one who lives between the spaces Of those words you choose to describe me with Perceptions gleaned Through abbreviated sentences Those moments I bored you with my existance You were too busy being yourself How could you ever know me I am the one who can see For I am a watcher I am present in the silence I am quiet Do not confuse silence with weakness I am who I choose to be I am not a slave to the trivial I am not one confined by convention Those things I am supposed to strive for They hold no allure for me I am a free man Free to think as I think My thoughts remain my own For your questions rarely greet my ears When they do I answer I am willing Yet you are unable to hear For you think You alone hold the answers So I smile For if nothing else I am pleasant I am polite I am not thought of as bold I am to you Who you think I am I am For a time What I want to be Other times What is expected of me Sometimes What confuses What limits me What shrinks What trancends What I hope is good for me I am selfish for generous reasons I am willing to give lavishly I am what and who I need to be Today I am different than yesterday Yet at my core I am still me I am where I've been placed For the time I'm needed here I am at the intersection of belonging and alone I am temporary and eternal I am living where angels fear to tread For I am human I am flawed I am willfully questioning God I am on the verge of disappearing Only Jesus truly knows who I am He knows where my thoughts travel How I have used who I am To coerece others To see me As different than I am More perfect Less fearful Confident Insightful So I say Here I am Naked Exposed to your elements Willing to risk it all Here and now Will you look close Ask me your questions Reserve your judgement I am meant to be Here and now For in knowing who I am You can begin to discover Who you are! For Frank Herrera's " I Am" contest.

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Kelly Deschler

Date: 11/13/2014 11:33:00 PM

This says a lot about who you truly are, and that person is an admirable one... This is the kind of poem that I want to write, because I share many of the same characteristics... Congratulations on your first place win, Richard! It was well deserved!

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/14/2014 6:18:00 PM

I am honored by your comment Kelly. I was impressed with your offering as well.

Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser

Date: 11/13/2014 12:59:00 AM

beautiful and powerful with every line.. :)! CONGRATULATIONS on the top win.. ! well-deserved.. :)! shall fave this.. :)!

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/14/2014 6:19:00 PM

Thanks Olive. Hugs Rick.

Mark Trichet

Date: 11/13/2014 12:35:00 AM

Written right to the bone Richard, awesome job, great last stanza, congrats

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/14/2014 6:19:00 PM

Much appreciated Mark.

Rhonda Johnson-Saunders

Date: 11/12/2014 1:08:00 PM

Wow, Richard! A magnificent and insightful write! You have described yourself from so many angles and points of view...congrats on a well deserved first place! I'm honored to share the spot with you...love and blessings, Rhonda

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/14/2014 6:20:00 PM

After reading your's I was glad I was a man as I am sure you would have knocked me out of first place. Blessings to you as well Rhonda.

Tim Smith

Date: 11/11/2014 10:26:00 PM

Stopping back with congratulations

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/14/2014 6:21:00 PM

Thanks so much Tim.

Sandra Haight

Date: 11/11/2014 7:36:00 PM

Richard, sending you well-deserved congratulations for 1st Place win on your very introspective poem. Sandra

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/14/2014 6:21:00 PM

Thanks Sandra, I enjoyed reading it.

Brenda Meier-Hans

Date: 11/11/2014 5:23:00 PM

Congratulations on your fabulous win Richard. Well written.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/11/2014 5:49:00 PM

Thanks Brenda.;0)

Abdul Malik

Date: 11/11/2014 3:02:00 PM

This is so surrealistic, man. You nailed it. A big smile for you.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/11/2014 5:50:00 PM

A big smile back, thanks.

Verlena S. Walker

Date: 11/11/2014 12:58:00 PM

Beautifully done. Your introspection of self is awesome Rick... Congratulations on your first place spot in the contest. Verlena

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/11/2014 5:51:00 PM

Thanks Verlena.

Debra Squyres

Date: 11/11/2014 11:18:00 AM

So many layers and gradations of each thought within your poem that one could scrape and peel and find more within. Congratulations on your top placement !!

Apache Tears

Date: 11/11/2014 10:29:00 AM

Congratulations! I loved this contest because it allows us to see a painted picture of eachother through the words we write. It was nice to see everyone.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/11/2014 10:38:00 AM

Thanks Manolo.

Kayod5 Kayode

Date: 11/11/2014 10:07:00 AM

This is so detailed as if you had anticipated the contest, layer by layer you gave insight into who you are and even gave us room to have Inputs; this is truly excellent and I congtratulate you on this victory.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/11/2014 10:40:00 AM

Thank you kind sir. I had planned to leave the soup for a bit and this contest dragged me back. I am very curious to see what Frank comes up with when he paints my picture.

Maurice Yvonne

Date: 11/11/2014 9:55:00 AM

So happy to see you win first place with this beautiful write. God loves you Richard. Congratulations on your well deserved first win.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/11/2014 10:37:00 AM

He loved me before I learned to love myself. Now he teaches me to love those I had formerly considered unlovable. God is good! Thanks for the comment, I very much appreciate your kind visits Maurice.

Shadow Hamilton

Date: 11/11/2014 5:22:00 AM

a profound write Rick I like who you are congrats on win hugs

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/11/2014 8:45:00 AM

Thanks and hugs back to you.

Jan Allison

Date: 11/11/2014 1:15:00 AM

a splendid write Richard many congrats on your win:-) hugs jan xx

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/11/2014 1:49:00 AM

Thanks and hugs back to you.

Demetrios Trifiatis

Date: 11/10/2014 4:52:00 AM

My friend, Richards, this time you have ventured to lands unknown , you have reached the borders of the real and the imaginary, the temporal and the eternal, the fact and the fiction, the plain and the sublime and gathered that much insight and beauty in your verse that, humbly, I applaud this masterpiece of yours with a symbolic seven!

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/10/2014 8:32:00 AM

I am honored Demetrious. I had wondered as to the quality of this piece because my rating had been a 6 so far. I am much more inclined to believe your good opinion. Thanks my friend.

Liam Mcdaid

Date: 11/9/2014 10:55:00 AM

richard really love how you drew this even pleasant and polite got me smiling excellent deep pen dear pal

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/9/2014 11:13:00 AM

Thanks Liam.

Monterey Sirak

Date: 11/9/2014 8:44:00 AM

Oh my! All the barriers were thrown back on this one. So emotional and honest. So many lines resonate with me. I will just have to fav the whole thing.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/9/2014 10:04:00 AM

Thanks for bringing a smile to my morning Monterey! A big hug for you.

Charmaine Chircop

Date: 11/8/2014 4:37:00 AM

I am for a time whatI want to be/Othertimes what is expected of me-This says so much and I can relate to it Richard.You are who you are,We love who you are..From a distance or a closer encounter.Going to my fvs.I so find myself in who you are.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/8/2014 8:30:00 AM

I am honored Charmaine, I am pleased you connected with it.

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 11/7/2014 9:54:00 PM

richard, you are simply brilliant when you write this way!! If Frank does not place this one high, I just don't know what to think!!!! Keep writing your sterling poetry and never stop coming here!!

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/8/2014 12:56:00 AM

Awww thanks Andrea, you are sweet. Hugs Rick.

Eileen Manassian

Date: 11/7/2014 10:51:00 AM

My favorite line of this write is the one that Arthur mentioned....for other reasons. To give of one's time, affection, and spirit...lavishly...is truly a wonderful aspect of your character, Richard. This is a lovely write...with many beautiful, deep, and meaningful lines. It's a pleasure to know you.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/7/2014 12:04:00 PM

Thanks Eileen, your good opinion of me makes me happy.

Cherl Dunn

Date: 11/7/2014 9:36:00 AM

Glade you like my lighter approach for a change just wanted to post something funny for a change, enjoyed your I am poem here nicely done, it was nice to get to know you better my friend take care today, cheri

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/7/2014 9:50:00 AM

Thanks Cheri.

Arthur Vaso

Date: 11/6/2014 11:50:00 PM

Another splendid write, now I really loved the line "I am willing to give lavishly" by the way my bank account number is 020-012-694587 and I accept all currencies, thanks!

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/7/2014 8:06:00 AM

Good morning Arthur, I attempted to deposit one million in your account but the wouldn't accept funds from the Republic of Monopoly. Also a nice lady from Nigeria has one hundred million she wanted to give to me and I passed your contact information on to her.

David Meade

Date: 11/6/2014 8:43:00 PM

Bold, confident, and a deep thinker . . . from what you have written I think it is safe to say -- you are engaging bringing the best out of people.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/7/2014 8:07:00 AM

What a great comment, thanks.

Mark J. Halliday

Date: 11/6/2014 6:06:00 PM

Like it. A couple of typos though. You probably meant "When they do", and "You were too busy being yourself". Particularly liked the line about living between the spaces.

Richard Lamoureux
Date: 11/6/2014 6:16:00 PM

Thanks Mark, I had caught the one but missed the other one. I appreciate the heads up.