my name
is case sensitive
adriana tamara
is how it’s spelled
sometimes as one word
and sometimes as two
but always as only lowercases

my name
is humbling
as it reminds me
that i am merely
one girl
against the elements
i am merely
one voice
muted by wind

my name
is empowering
she shows me
that my mouth
can never run dry
that my thoughts
can never go dormant

my name
looks small
compared to all of the rest
because i
am small
compared to the world
even in my own perception
i am too little
to know everything
to understand everything

my name
is my teacher
is my guardian
is my keepsake
& when i think i know everything
about poetry, about loving, about people
she humbles me
and i continue to learn

case sensitive
(12.24.2020)
—adrianatamara