nomenclature manifesto

ask yourself who you want to be
hold that person in your mind and find their name
imagine telling strangers that this is who you are
introduce yourself to yourself for the first time
for the second and the third and the fourth
tell the sky and the sidewalk and the grass
write it and misspell it a thousand different ways
forgive yourself each time you address the person you used to be
course-correct and try again
tell the people you love before you tell whoever named you
and even then tell them how to react
good news! it’s really exciting, i’m changing my name, i’m —
trust your body to forget what it was called
believe in the impulse that led you to the question
move through the world and you’ll start to become
commit to pretending. bring yourself to life.