Poem By Peter Starr

The Definition of Me

I am defined by you

Thus I have lost

The Definition of me

Your words

Assign me traits

Some that I don’t think I recognize

Or only faintly remember

Though you store them

In a central file

To share with others

Behind my back

I am defined by you

By my past

And my tomorrow

You have book ended me

Bookmarked me

Bar-coded me for your convenience

Checked me out without asking

Fined others in my name

Left me tethered to your dock

Floating on this

Mediterranean spit of land

With its land mines

And warlords

Playing cards and backgammon

Smoking water pipes and chomping on fuul

I am defined by you

By your night

And day

Your wasted desert

Filled with target practice tanks

Your insane drivers

Gesticulating hate and stupidity

Your Dead Sea

Who you are killing by your greed

Lone camels

Hobbled in the wadis

Looking angry and scared

You have knocked me over in your streets

Pushed me tight into your buses

Given me numbers that I will never memorize

And others that I can never forget

Filled my head with your memories

While sucking those I treasured into a receptacle

I can no longer access

Left me empty when I should have been full

Filled me up when I should have been empty

I am defined by you

Having forever lost the definition of me