Autobiography of Deconstructed Me

Me, circa 1965

was

was is

was is born

was is born colored

was is born colored named white

was is born colored named white born adopted

was is born colored named white born adopted born girl

was is born colored named white born adopted born girl became am

was is born named became am

is born named became am

born named became am

named became am

became am

am

was I

is I

born I

colored I

named I

white I

adopted I

girl I

became I

am I

I am

I

© Ami Mattison

For Big Tent Poetry

*This poem was prompted by the Cut-Up Machine at Language is a Virus. The original sentence is "In 1965, I was born a colored girl, adopted by white parents."