I look at you like an author looks at their book
my silver stories clasped onto a matching chain
keeping my wrist company, and reminding me who I am.
You are an ode in yourself
you’ve dedicated your mere purpose to me
I can remember my own stories,
but the dangling charms are nice remembrances.
I love how you shine in the light
illuminating some of my darkest days
I love how you jingle when I walk
singing sweet assurances you can’t really say.
I look at the girl on whose wrist I sit, and I say
Look at how far you’ve come
from your childhood nickname to your first boyfriend
when you lose yourself I will be here
and remind you where you’re from.
A coconut tree…
A name tag given to me by my grandmother on my birthday,
the name that has stuck with me since I was old enough to respond to it
“My little coconut,”
“CooCoo,”
When my real name escapes her mouth it sounds almost foreign
A turtle…
An annual family trip to the coast featuring a special guest,
the first boy I’ve brought home
Our adventures in ghost tours, restaurants, and swimming
in the shape of an endangered beauty from the sea
A pendant…
A gift from my parents that brought tears to my eyes,
received on the day my boyfriend officially became family
mine and his initials engraved on a small oval,
that quickly claimed its spot as one of my favorites
A letter…
A,
the first character casted in my splendid show of a name
The name I’m known by in public but never addressed by at home
The second name in the list my mother made before my birth
I appreciate it, for I do not fit the shoes of a girl named Shianne
You are a fine luxury,
but still portrayed as cheap replacement to gold
To me you are worth more than money
To me you are my life story
I will continue to fill you with memories
until one day you cannot hold anymore,
for you are full of my stories.