I am a Nobody

Else, who else am I?

I am nobody. 

Nobody wants to be a nobody

Everybody wants to be a somebody

I could have been born as a prince or a pauper. 

A saint or a militant.

I could have been a woman even,

Capable of producing life.

For which men would have been eternally jealous,

They are capable of only art and poetry.

It would have been me who made the earth whole and zealous,

Had I been born as a woman.

 

I was given a name

To be known as somebody.

By a somebody.

Out a billion names available,

I chose to be known as somebody.

From birth I was taught and trained

To keep repeating my name

Like a trained parrot

Just to show society.

That I am a somebody

And not a nobody.

 

I was later told by society,

To really be a somebody.

Never remain a nobody,

because no one respects such one.

Be a somebody,

make sure everyone praises you together as one.

 

Out of a billion life forms available

I was sent to live on earth as a nobody.

I wasn’t asked to wear clothes,

I wasn’t asked to make money,

I was sent simply to exist as every animal does.

Why I am asked to be anybody in life? I find it funny.

 

Out of a billion life forms, here I am.

To live till an unknown time,

Asked by society to have a few  

hopes and dreams Just to pass time.

Only I can tell myself why I matter,

Of what meaning of my existence would have rather.

 

We have either told or been told to be, who we are,

Just like that memorised name from our past.

Our hopes, dreams and ambitions,

will never cease to last.

 

If we choose not to be who we are,

Who would we be?

Will this help us in our escape from society, and us free?

 

I am a nobody.

There has never been, never will be anyone like us, any time in history. 

Are we original or are we re-incarnated? It still a mystery.

I am just one among existence,

Just like the animals and trees,

My consciousness similiar to all of them,

This will be my understanding.

This will be my penance.

 

 

Reviews

[matrixmark]

This was a neat short piece. Too many people spend their lives following others in what they do, when they should be concentrating on themselves and who they are. Too many fakes and frauds are all around following eachother like they dont' know who they want to be.

I've never been a fan of following the crowd - always choosing to be different and just being me.

Your poetry is short but it really says a hell of a lot inbetween the lines. I really enjoyed reading this thoughful and well presented piece.

Mark.

[Ashwin Shanker]

I am happy that the message of the poem connected with you well.
Thanks for the review Mark.

[matrixmark]

As always...a pleasure to read your work.

Mark.

[Ashwin Shanker]

:) .......

[MightyMouse]

Interesting view on life. Really makes you question why we're really here and the only real answer I can come up with: There isn't a reason. We were an accident created by science. Thanks for the poem.

[Mirror]

Overall I liked it. Nice meaning behind, good expression.

I will tell you that I would have loved if you used the "Out of a billion life forms available" phrase to expand even more. Why choose to be one precise? Can't we be more? Reading it felt like a waste choosing to be one out of a billion things.

Of course I am saying this only as a different point of view. Yours is absolut fine too. :p

Keep writing :)

[Ashwin Shanker]

We can't be more simply because we are one among the billions. It is impossible for us to get into the consciousness of another human, animal or plant. We can only relate, empathise but not exactly know what they must be going through

[Mirror]

Perhaps I am a romantic fool. But I like to believe we can get to that point. Well we can have different opinions ;)

[Ashwin Shanker]

No body is a fool my friend.. Nor is anybody a genius too... We all are unique... Existence has made only one of us for all eternity... There will never be, another you in the history of time.

And yes,, Its always healthy to have different opinions.. We should in fact ... Cheers bro :)

[ManasaC]

Questions of existence often find us in one way or the other. Beautiful way of expressing your thoughts on "WHY"
I enjoyed it!

[Ashwin Shanker]

Thank you very much ManasaC !!

[ManasaC]

You are welcome!

[andrew mitchell]

An interesting write to ponder on these questions of who am I, why am I here, I think the simple truth is we are born primarily to continue our species and our family tree and that's it!!:)

[Ashwin Shanker]

Actually nature does not even ask us to continue our species or extend family tree, we have been asking ourselves that. We have assumed that it is why we are here and now the world is a overcrowded wasteland.