I’m nobody. Who are you?
Had I never made that decision,
One day I might have been famous,
Running my world as I pleased,
Making lots of money,
Doing things my way,
Not quite happy—
In a crowd
Lonely.

I’m everybody. Even you!
I eat, sleep, work, dream—I even play.
I live from one day to the next,
Doing the best that I can,
Trying to make ends meet,
Seeking acceptance,
Unsure of the
Future, and
Frightened.

I’m somebody. Maybe you—
I gave all my “could-be” to Jesus;
He gave me a reason to live,
He forgave me all my sins,
He changed my perspective
From inward to out,
He LOVES me! Now—
I’m someone
Special!

The idea for this poem came while working as a private tutor. One of the poems covered on my student’s literature exam was “I’m Nobody. Who Are You?” by Emily Dickinson. I had never read it before, but the title intrigued me. So while she was taking her test, I looked it up and read the poem. For three days I was unable to get the title and first line out of my mind: “I’m nobody. Who are you?” I thought of myself as a member of society, of the human race, and of God’s family, and this poem is the result.

Photo taken along Skyline Drive in Virginia, 2014