How could it be that I never thought….much of it when I took alphabets out of my name
and changed my name
and the meaning of my name
and now I lay deep…in thought
on how to fix it
put back those alphabets I stole from my name to tell you my real name
the meaning of my name
and who I really am
that I stole from myself
Onyinyechukwu-gift from God-Onyinye-gift- Onyi-gift- Oni-demon-fallen angel.
…Come as you are I
ONYINYECHUKWU
You know,
where I come from, your name is your identity your shield, your armor
it becomes who you are
IT IS who you are
and who you would like to be an aspiration to your *ikigai
I have struggled with my name since I came to this your lands, and I am only now finding it easier
my real name
my people say you can go far enough only to come back home
I am home now
to tell you my real name
It seemed so simple then
to morph my name into something else to make it shorter
alphabet by alphabet softer on the tongue easier for you
Till I dismantled myself
now I yearn
to go back in time and tell you my real name only this time, it is taking me so long
to tell you my real name
as if I don’t deserve my real name
my name I deserted for so long
only to want it back.
Come as you are II