Respectful, not boastful,

to my own endeavour,

I worked hard to put letters

after my name, long hours

of sweat, beads turning to oceans,

streams to churning whirlpools

and underwater I sank, more often than not

but I swam against the tide

to have the honour of two letters

after my name,

am I proud, no,

fulfilled, almost

but I will take a letter added to my name

any day

than have numbers

tattooed upon my arm

and reduced to denying my name.

Ian D. Hall 2018