I like honey
walnut shrimp
from Panda Express.
I like chocolate chip
cookies and apples
with peanut butter.

But say I preferred
chicken nuggets from
Chick-Fil-A, ice cream
at my moms —
wouldn’t I still be me?

I also like Hot Topic
and sweaters.
But if I traded them
in for Forever21
and pink tanktops
wouldn’t I still be me?

If I hadn’t cut
my hair wouldn’t
I still be me?

If I stopped watching
YouTube and
quit Instagram,
wouldn’t I still be me?

If I went to some
other school,
wouldn’t I still be me?

But what if I painted
less, or did sports?
What if I never got dogs?

What if I were
afraid of cats
but not being tickled?

What if I was an
only child and went
to Mars?

Would I still be me?