Definition, please?

November 7, 2015

My name is Minahal Naveed.
Minahal Naveed is my name.
If your name was Minahal Naveed,
Wouldn't that be strange?

I am Minahal Naveed,
But my name doesn't describe me.
Well, in a sense, it does.
Those letters represent me,
like diplomats
Embarking on an arduous journey,
Or maybe they are like the navy
And before they set sail and venture out to sea,
Would you mind passing me that dictionary?
I need to find a word that defines me,
But ill-fitting phrases are all I see.
Minahal Naveed is not printed before mineralogy, sadly.
Minahal Naveed won't be the winning word of a spelling bee.

The Arabic name of a Pakistani girl is not printed in Webster's, it seems
And that's fine with me, actually.
Because that tells everyone that they can't define me.
Don't try and prescribe me an identity
For I, I am free.
Free to be whatever I please,
As it pleases me.

I am wordy and nerdy,
and I will defend Shakespearean literature until my last heart beat.
I am artsy and suffer from a pollen allergy,
and I will always wonder if my watercolors look like inkblots or a tissue post-sneeze.
I am an amalgam of numerous eccentricities, and I still write in cursive and practice calligraphy.I am witty and sassy,
and I will never turn down a comedic opportunity.
I am quirky and sometimes worry,
and I will try to maintain my winning personality.

I am too much for any word to describe me,
And I now know that is a great thing to be.
Finally, I think I have found what I mean,
to me.

Something wrong with this poem?

Replies are closed for this poem.

Your Poem's Voice

See what makes your poem unique — its voice, energy, themes, and the literary traditions it draws from.

Comments (3)

mnaveedNov 8, 2015

.

mnaveedNov 7, 2015

I was having issues with the formatting of the next to last stanza. I hope you can look past that.

mnaveedNov 7, 2015

<div dir="ltr" id="yiv7813323797yui_3_16_0_1_1446870942686_3061" style="font-family: 'bookman old style', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 14px;"><div dir="ltr" id="yiv7813323797yui_3_16_0_1_1446870942686_3061"> </div></div><div> </div><div><div dir="ltr" id="yiv7813323797yui_3_16_0_1_1446870942686_3061" style="font-family: 'bookman old style', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 14px;">My name is Minahal Naveed. Minahal Naveed is my name. If your name was Minahal Naveed, Wouldn't that be strange? I am Minahal Naveed, But my name doesn't describe me. Well, in a sense, it does. Those letters represent me, like diplomats Embarking on an arduous journey, Or maybe they are like the navy And before they set sail and venture out to sea, Would you mind passing me that dictionary? I need to find a word that defines me, But ill-fitting phrases are all I see. Minahal Naveed is not printed before mineralogy, sadly. Minahal Naveed won't be the winning word of a spelling bee. The Arabic name of a Pakistani girl is not printed in Webster's, it seems And that's fine with me, actually. Because that tells everyone that they can't define me. Don't try and prescribe me an identity For I, I am free. Free to be whatever I please, As it pleases me. I am wordy and nerdy, and I will defend Shakespearean literature until my last heart beat. I am artsy and suffer from a pollen allergy, and I will always wonder if my watercolors look like inkblots or a tissue post-sneeze. I am an amalgam of numerous eccentricities,</div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'bookman old style', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 14px;"> </div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'bookman old style', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 14px;">and I still write in cursive and practice calligraphy.</div><div dir="ltr" id="yiv7813323797yui_3_16_0_1_1446870942686_3061" style="font-family: 'bookman old style', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 14px;">I am witty and sassy,  </div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: 'bookman old style', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 14px;">and I will never turn down a comedic opportunity. I am quirky and sometimes worry, and I will try to maintain my winning personality. I am too much for any word to describe me, And I now know that is a great thing to be. Finally, I think I have found what I mean, to me.</div></div>