‘What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet’
-William Shakespeare

A nice lady at Social Security called
saying that there was a problem
with my name.
What was my legal name?
I began to give her all the options
that it possibly could be-
married, maiden, middle-
puzzle pieces to put in different order-
What is my name?

How many names have I had in my life:
daughter, sister, friend, wife,
confidant, enemy,
patsy, scholar
employee, goof off,
slut, singer,
beloved, caregiver,
villain,
maker of sandwiches and beds,
counter of numbers,
lister of lists,
nagger and necessary evil,
writer of words, poet of no renown,
sewer of buttons, holder of hands,
weeper of tears,
reader,
card player,
bird watcher,
friend to angels