One in All – Pamela Sackett

I need an identity
perhaps you can pick me one
can you find a single one for me

I’d like one that says it clear
I’d like one that says it all
in a language that’s simple to read

there are so many to choose from
it’s very confusing, you see
because whenever I use one
it cancels out big parts of me

I can more than imagine
how incomplete is our bent
when we talk to each other
what messages are being sent

I know that I look
and I talk a certain way
but what does that mean
and what does that really say

is my style or my face or my ideas
some kind of cue
and given those, I want to know
whose identity is coming through

interpretation can be tricky
it’s tricky to see what’s not bare
if I told you the “facts” of a particular life
would they persuade you, or not, to care

I can more than imagine
how incomplete is our view
when we look at each other
do we see me or see you

show me a country
a people, a time, a creed
that might be something to join
that might be something to leave

recount a history
a sequence of collective deeds
a tome with words and pictures
would still be incomplete

I want less to go on
less is more can you see through
a trillion lenses with big picture focus
and not blur the essence of me
and we and me and we

I can only imagine
who you and I think we are
when we size up ourselves and each other
are we near-sighted or far

I need an identity
if you find one that says it all
you might want to keep it for yourself
or maybe we could share it
maybe we could split the fee

I’d cover the cost
the entire cost
for a shield of transparency

composition, voice, guitar: Pamela Sackett:
recording engineer, mix: Daniel Sackett
image: Jeff Rogers