Let Me Be Me*

By John A. Akec

It is my nature
To say I love you
When I feel so
And it is equally true
When there is anything I hate
I let you know!
My question:
Would you object
To my simple request
That you let me be me
And you be you
And us be friends?
For it is my habit
To call a spade by its name
And when I see a tree
I called it the same
And when I cry
I cry aloud
And when I laugh
I do it from my heart
With me what you see
Is what you get!
For I cannot be
What I am not
Like all humans
Half is body
And the other half my self-expression!
And if you have no objection
Then let me be me
And you be you
And us be friends

*With my apologies to Jimmy Cliff for his inspirational song: "Let Yes Be Yes, and the No be No…"