A Myriad of Selves

Herewith, the latest selection from dusted-off published poetry and short fiction, circa 1970s vintage and beyond....

One of a Kind

I am, my husband says
regarding me tenderly
unique, one of a kind
his especial guardian angel.
I'm not, I tell him.

Google my name
I'm there in duplicate
triplicate, quadruples
and more. Not so unique
I can be found anywhere
else than where I am,
with him.

He will have none of it
I am his soul's echo
his delight in life
mother of his children;
playmate, co-adventurer
coeval in a lifetime
of travail and joys.

Google me. Who are all those
blatant impostors
aspiring to be me?
Jealous of my special self,
eager to take
unto themselves

my persona, my so
particular place
in this existence?
Pitiful creatures all,
desperately emulating
the original.

Google me. Take your pick
of all those other Me's
reflecting commonality
of nomenclature
perhaps even personality
values, humour and humours

A splendiferous plenitude
of Wandas
in that huge sea
of teeming humanity.
Explore:
unless you value
your life.

c. 2009 Rita Rosenfeld
Published: herewith