Tuesday, April 21, 2015

The Weightiness of a Name



In wonderland and dreaming,
in both English and Urdu,
they tell me my name is
the rich claret of fortified wine,
seasoned with age, aging with seasons.
For certain, I am fortified,
and well seasoned.
In France, I'd be Cheri, or dear,
but I choose deer, from the white meadow,
who wandered hesitantly 
across our lawn last night,
too young to be alone,
but alone nonetheless.

In Gaelic, close to home, I am O'Searraigh,
a name meaning foal,
(the foal that died, 
the new foal that did not come).
Google says "She Knows"
and somewhere within, I Know,
but the knowing doesn't prevent me
from making stupid choices.

Google says I am spiritually intense,
that I can sting and charm,
not, likely, in the same moment.
This, too, must be true,
judging by the arched, significant looks 
those around me often exchange
thinking that I don't see.


The Sherry I can bear, as I don't mind 
a little nip of a chilly evening.
But my given name was painful in grade school,
where I was called Sheryl the Barrel,
an epithet, coupled with my freckles and limp hair,
that would have done my self-esteem little good,
had I possessed any.

My married name has brought me bad karma,
and I psychically resist ever saying it out loud.
I refuse it.
This is the year when my given names, 
legal and married,
will finally be hacked away, 
like shackles around my spirit,
and Sherry Marr will fly free 
of her albatross
at long freaking last.

LOL. Bjorn's prompt at Real Toads, to create a poem from the meaning of one's name, belatedly appealed to me. Not deathless poesy, but some words to qualify as fulfilling Day 21 .

11 comments:

  1. I enjoyed the different meanings of your name specially the Gaelic one or French, Cheri ~So Sherry Marr it is then, smiles ~

    Have a good week ~

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  2. Well now, you make me want to do it and I had skipped that prompt. Your poem is like a hug you give yourself--so much room for wine and dear and deer and knowing in your name, and freedom at long last!

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  3. I missed this prompt. You have enticed me to try.
    Yours is beautiful

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  4. "seasoned with age, aging with seasons.
    For certain, I am fortified,
    and well seasoned"........... LOVE
    "The Sherry I can bear, as I don't mind
    a little nip of a chilly evening"........... haha

    I love your poem; it makes me laugh and want to give you a big old cyber hug - so consider it done!

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  5. It is a great feeling to be inspired by knowing more of one's name. The sweetest word in one's language certainly Sherry!

    Hank

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  6. I love how you develop this Sherry. But of course, that ending IS SO FREAKIN' GOOD! It's great to find and be yourself.

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  7. Wonderful Sherry, this is exactly the probing of the name i wanted you to do.. and there are parts that we like there are those we have hard to live by.. wonderful take.

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  8. Ah, the importance of a name, a definition. I too, have taken this journey and have loved the one I settled on long ago. Here's to us old farts who have learned there is far more meaning to a name than just a name,

    Elizabeth

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  9. You have quite an interesting name, Sherry. I'd say the 'spiritually intense' aspect really fits you!

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