Vickie Ortiz Vazquez Poet Free verse

Labels

Labels, 2010
V. Ortiz Vazquez

Girl, teenager, young adult, woman
Hispanic, Latina, Puerto Rican
Sister, aunt, godmother
Lesbian, woman of color
How important are these labels?
Why use them to define myself?
Better, use to be boxed within brackets
Brackets many times use to oppress me and those a like
Box me
Reduce at time, close to nothingness
Trap within groups
Recycling stereotypes, unfairness
Idiotic
Other times, forgotten

I am a woman
A Puerto Rican woman that is
I am a daughter
A Puerto Rican daughter, know this
Born to privileges that do not really exist
I am a Puerto Rican woman who loves another woman 
Rights denied
Ignorance still prevail in 2010
I am brown skinned
How important is this? I don’t know, Do you?
Yet, I will not trade the following:
Daughter, aunt, godmother, woman of color, Puerto Rican
They provide an experience taken for granted by many
At times an understanding that others dream off
A strength given, passed down
Not forced or taken 
I am the labels you love to hate
I am the labels you hate to love

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Chuck Keys October 5, 2010 at 2:18 PM the outer facade has nothing to do with the inside goodness. relationships with love and God are between the inside goodness of one with another, like reading the inside of a book to enjoy and not the cover. I am a man of God, i love all, whom ever they are or end up to be. keep writing and always be proud to say what you mean, from your heart. God bless you, thank you, chuck