Please don’t label me
Let me grow up tall
Let me choose for myself
Who I want to be
I was labelled a difficult baby
Subsequently so, a child
Then an awkward teenager
An adult with disorders of the mind
I don’t like labels
If I am labelled
It adds to my load
Emotional baggage
Which goes charging
Through my life
Like a buffalo
In the Wild West
Or like a stranger entering
The Last Chance Saloon
To encounter a low-life
A corrupt villain with a blade
Who stares me out
As the midday sun gleams
And catches my eye
Through semi-closed shutters
Let me choose
Whether I live or die
If I choose to live
Let it be my decision
Don’t pin me down
Or tie me to a post
With shackles and chains
And take my options away
Don’t take my choice away
Don’t take my voice away
Let me shout out loud
My opinion counts
Let me run free
Across the dusty plains
Let me choose who I am
Don’t label me.
(Photo by Erwan Hesry on Unsplash)
Ellie Thompson's World 
Sounds like the inner energies are changing and you are finding freedom!
Thank you, Tamara. I wrote this poem with slightly different thoughts in my mind. Your previous advice is always so helpful and wise and I appreciate you sharing your expertise with me. Have a great day. Xx 🌹💕
My pleasure! Wishing you a wonderful day too!
Thank you, Tamara. Hope you are having a good day today. Thank you for all your advice. I will still be learning from your books as they are full of so much sense and wise advice and direction. Xx 💖
Wow, that makes happy to hear! For you I’m happy you are able to extract valuable information for your journey, and for me it helps me see my value as a teacher and a writer. Keep going!
Beautiful poem Ellie!☺️
Thank you very much, J. Xx 🥰
“Let me choose who I am, Please don’t label me.” Love that line! Wonderful poem Ellie.
Thank you so much, Brian. That’s kind of you to say. Thank you for liking my poem – I appreciate that a lot. Hope you have a good day. I’ll try and catch with your post from yesterday if I can, although you’ll have to forgive me as I’ve got my final therapy session this afternoon and really don’t know how I’ll cope till later on. I always enjoy your posts, too.
I have a problem where I label myself. I’m such a black and white thinker, I can only be one thing at once. A runner, a writer, an alcoholic, a touretter. I think you do an admirable job of not labeling yourself.
I’ve always been told I thought only in black and white, too. I have different, but kind labels when I’m being a Mum, a Nanny, a sister, a friend, but perhaps, less so kind ones as a writer, as an opinion of myself etc. I’m just trying something one of my very knowledgeable readers suggested about being kind to myself. I don’t feel much like it right now with my therapy ending this afternoon, but hope this will be something I can incorporate into my life as time goes on. Thanks for your comment, Jeff.
You are so right! Labels are worthless….we all get to define who we really are, and we also have the right to change as we go along!
Thank you for your wise words, Ann. I hadn’t thought about changing along the way, but I guess that’s what life is about. Thanks again for your support. X 🌹💕
You have hit the nail on the head.
You CAN change as you go along.
Love you.
You know I love to read your poetry, but you also know I love to read between the lines. Again, I would like you to change one line for me — well, because one certain line occurs twice, I want you to change the second occurence, the last line of the poem. Just remove one word, and read it again. Out loud. See if it feels better. If you have to, give it a minute, maybe a second reading, out loud.
Please, try taking away the “Please.” Try this:
Let me choose who I am.
Don’t label me!
Did that change the way you read the second last line? Did it put the emphasis on the word “me”? I certainly hope it did.
I appreciate that you like my poetry, J and that you read between the lines, as you very often find something in my words that, perhaps, I can’t see at the time of writing. I have changed that last line and will read it aloud a few more times to see if it sounds more direct. ‘Don’t label me’ as opposed to ‘Please don’t label me’ has more assertiveness to it, and is more empowering. You make some good points about my work. You know me well, J. As I said earlier, I appreciate your blogging friendship. 💜💕💙💕💚💕💛
The assertiveness was what I saw “could be.” I just wasn’t sure you wanted to be assertive so I hesitated to even mention it.
But in the end I figured, it was your choice to ignore me or not. I like an assertive you.
Good luck seeing Chris today. I hope that worked out well for you.
Both “me”s, that is.
We are all such complex characters, it’s ridiculous to label us. Even the labels we give ourselves tie us down and hold us back. In reality we should be able to focus in on whichever facet of our character we wish to bring to the fore.
You are quite right, Mick. You make a very good point about not even labelling ourselves. I would have said I have different labels for being a Mum, a Nanny, a friend, a sister etc., but I think you are right in that this is better looked at as a facet of our character at any given time. Thanks for your wise comment, Mick.
In my own case, I find it useful to remember this on those days I feel frustrated at an inability to be creative, or when I find I’m wanting to do or be something I usually reject (sorry if that doesn’t make much sense).
Thank you, Mick. You make perfect sense.
Powerful poem!!
Also a great message.
Keep sharing please, and take care.
Thank you, Devang. I will do. Hope you are well and please take care of yourself, too.
well said – no labels here 🙂
Thank you very much, Simon.
🙂
Every word is on point.
Perfect
Thank you, Sana. Xx 🌷💕
Once again, great poem. I can identify as a very lonely child who was bullied and never fitting in with anyone growing up. Girls didn’t like me either. But the good thing about age is you don’t have to let other people’s baggage be yours.
Thank you, Brian. It sounds like we both had a tough time at school with bullying and not fitting in. Boys didn’t like me, but then, neither did the girls – I was I was a weed and useless. I was always the last child to be picked for the school sports’ teams. Thank you for that last sentence – you are quite right. Take care, my friend.
Brilliant. Yes! Nobody should have to live by the labels assigned to them by family, schools, friends, even complete strangers. Every person is a unique blend and the trick is to see the beauty and celebrate our differences! May you be able to wipe off those labels given to you, like a chalkboard, and write new ones for yourself. You get to say who you are.
Thank you, Bridgette. Your comment makes me think of your precious daughter and her difficulties. She too, is unique and beautiful, just like you. Labels are for tins of beans, not people. Thank you for your kindness. Xx 💓🤗💕
Absolutely powerful poem, Ellie. What resounded with me was that you were crying out to not be silenced; that you wanted to make your own choices and not be chained down by labels.
Probably not the right response considering your heartfelt post but I have labels for you, my friend:
Warrior
Talented writer
Compassiomate Empath
Beautiful inside and out
Sending you lots of love ❤️
Thank you so much for the kindest of words, Janet. I love that you’ve given me new labels, and very touched by those that you’ve chosen. I think the one I identify with most is Warrior. Sometimes I feel like my life has been one long battle, and although every day isn’t always easy, I’m mostly in a better place and fighting tooth and nail to stay that way. Much love to you, also, my friend. Xx 🌷💖🌼💝
No labels. None!
Thank you, Selma. Xx 😊💕
They can be so unhelpful at times.
Thank you for reading and being kind enough to leave me a comment, Sedge. Labels belong on cans or clothes, not on people. Thank you, too, for liking a couple of my other recent posts. It’s appreciated.