To be nobody but myself -- in a world which is doing its best, night and
day, to make you everybody else -- means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting.
-E.E. Cummings, poet  (1894-1962)

 A friend of mine from down the way
Called on me the other day
To share some local talk and Earl Grey tea

She brought some talk from over town
On who was up and who was down
And none of it meant anything to me.

But, "ain’t it awful" my friend said
Spitting crumbs of pumpkin bread
"about the man who said those terr’ble things?"

And I said, "dear, they’re only words,
As common here as bunny turds
They mean as much as what the cricket sings."

But, "every body says he’s mad,
And everything he says is bad,
We’re wondering what the local cops can do."

"Saying words is breaking laws?
It’s against the peace to move your jaws?
And anyway, dear, ‘everybody’ who?"

"Everyone who’s smart and right
and everyone who’s clean and bright
and everyone who does what they should do."

"Ah, everyone within the pale,
all who share a common tale,
everyone, you mean, who agrees with you."

"No," she said putting down her cup,
"I mean," she said now standing up,
"everyone who’s safe within the fold."

"Now you’re talking bleating sheep
who must form up a flock to sleep
and I’m not one for doing what I’m told."

"No," she said putting on her coat
"I mean everyone within the boat,
but I begin to wonder about you."

"About I’m crazy in the head?
About some rabbit turds I said,
Are you wondering what the local cops can do?"

"Oh, no," she said, heading for the door,
"I’ve enough on you and even more,
it just depends how stubborn you can be."

"There’s no need for violent men,
I’m sure we can be friends again,
It's just myself is who I’m trying to be."

"If you’ll do what you know you should,
you’ll be doing the common good,
and I believe you’ll find there is no fuss."

When she’d gone I closed the door,
And pondered what she’d asked me for:
To think of just myself as "one of us."