Each of Us Has a Name

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Each of us has a name.
You should know what yours is
and if you don’t, you may not have been
paying attention to your parents.

Each of us has a name.
It may be Phil, or Sarah or Neville
or some exotic combination of letters
dreamed up in the moments before your birth.

Each of us has a name
and it is yours forever. Even if you
use the laws to adjust it, the people who
knew you first will not adjust with you.

Each of us has a name
that you can shout from a mountain
and maybe the stars will hear it
or even just one star.

Each of us has a name
and like a commandment, you
shouldn’t take it in vain, or no-one
will take you seriously.

Each of us has a name
which sometimes the people
who aren’t on your side, learn first.
It burns on their tongues.

Each of us has a name
which we put on our papers
which we sign in our books
which we use to say look at what we did.

Each of us has a name
which goes unspoken by
those without language, but
they know who you are.

Each of us has a name
we dream of lasting longer than
our carbon allows. It goes on a stone
when we’re gone.

These poems are offered free for your enjoyment. If you use them as part of an event, meeting, educational or liturgical setting, please consider tipping the author.

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