Identity

I am born in a British hospital

To a Kiwi mum

To a British dad

I rely

I cry

I want

The only identity I have is gender

I am just a baby like all the rest

I am born as a blank canvas

Five years later I am living in a West Auckland suburb

A ‘westie’ as they say

I have changed

I have hair

Blue eyes

I still need

Or do I just want?

I can read

I can talk

I have begun to become myself

My culture is still the same

When I am ten

I am nasty

At ten I am rude

My identity is trying to come through

It does not care if I am Kiwi

It does not care if I am British

All it wants is me

At fifteen I change

My body

My mind

My intentions

Everything changes

I struggled with my character

Who I am

Who I am to become

At twenty my identity is my existence today

It does not care about tomorrow

It does not care what defines my character

My smile

My sneer

My laugh

It does not care what defines my knowledge

My fears

My hopes

My Birthplace

My canvas is no longer blank

I still have a long way to go

Five years from now

Who will I be?

What will I be?

Because I still don’t know