You Can Be Anything

What People Tell You

People tell me I deserve the very best
But mummy said be content
Daddy said work hard until you succeed
But Chinedu told me to see the beauty in imperfection
Chibaby, nothing is perfect you see
He said to me
Even if things were perfect, we would never know you see
Because chi baby we are not perfect
We wouldn’t understand perfection you see


People say I can be every thing I want
But then mummy said something’s are wrong and some are right
And daddy says I’m a girl I shouldn’t say somethings
I went to Chinedu and told him
Chinedu, I know the things I cant be
I know the things I cant say
What can I be? What should I say?
And he smiled with his gap tooth and told me
Chibaby, anything.

And I’m screaming …
Anything. Anything ?
I’m drowning in nothingness.
Chinedu, The definition of my existence is in such an empty word
Where are the boundaries?
Show me a box so I can fit in

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¹ Claim: Originally written by Nigerian Fiction member 101 - Pam

² Nigerian Fiction title 148

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