LABELS
A label belongs on a jar full of pickles,
a bag full of pretzels, a big can of beans.
Tuna and toothpaste and underwear waistbands,
bagels and eggs and an old pair of jeans.
Milk doesn't mind if it happens to find
they gave him a label declaring him skim.
That extra-thick catsup that sits on your table?
I bet that that label's not bothering him.
Blended, synthetic, organic, unsweetened,
in X-extra large, or in grade A or B.
Low fat and no fat, not animal tested,
fragile or kosher or sodium-free.
But some people want to stick labels on people
like socks in a drawer or jars on a shelf.
I know who I am. I'm no jar full of jam.
Those names that you use you can keep to yourself.
I'm wonderful, clever, and too complicated
for names that you call me and labels you pick.
A label belongs on a jar full of pickles.
They don't go on me, and I won't let them stick!
--Eric Ode
Copyright © 2011 Eric Ode
All Rights Reserved