Warning: This work has been rated 16+.
A name shouted across the classroom
A name meant Noble
A name that makes a girl flinch and whisper "I'm Morgan. I don't use that name anymore."
That name used to call attention to the quiet girl in the corner doodling during the lesson
That name used to be shouted at the girl reading underneath the desk
That name is buried deep underground
That girl refuses to be known by that name
That girl refuses to be known as a girl
Now they are call themself Morgan
Now they wave a rainbow flag and laugh at all the haters
Now they kiss girls and boys
And tell people to fuck off if they have a problem with that
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139,924 Literary Works • 672,746 Reviews
I really like this poem and I think it brings to light some really needed topics. I completely understand the feeling of having my name called to the class and the flinching and the feelings. None of these are new topics, but most of them are ones that don't get talked about. I appreciate the meaning and the feelings that went into this poem. Anyone who read it or has went through these things would see the meaning behind it, and I think it showed. This was a great poem.
Hey this is shakthisinha
I just read your poem, and honestly, I’ve been sitting here letting it sink in because it is incredibly powerful. Writing about identity and transitioning can be so difficult, but you managed to put feelings into words that are so raw, real, and fiercely honest. I wanted to share a few thoughts on why this piece is so special.
First of all, that opening line about the name meaning "Noble" is a brilliant piece of irony. It’s a name that sounds great on paper, but for you, it became a heavy weight that made you flinch. The contrast between that "noble" name and the quiet, painful reality of trying to shrink yourself down—doodling in the corner and hiding with a book under the desk—is heartbreakingly beautiful. Anyone who has ever felt like they didn't fit in their own skin will read those lines and feel an instant, deep connection to you.
The shift in the middle of the poem is where the real magic happens. The transition from "That girl" to "Now they" feels like a literal deep breath. It’s like watching a black-and-white movie suddenly burst into vibrant color. Waving the rainbow flag, laughing at haters, and kissing girls and boys—it’s not just a change of pronouns; it’s a total reclamation of joy. You captured that sense of hard-won freedom so perfectly.
And that final line? I love it. Some people might find the swearing harsh, but to me, it is the most honest part of the whole poem. It is the ultimate boundary. It says, "I am done hiding, I am done apologizing, and if you have a problem with my happiness, that is entirely on you." It’s an incredibly liberating note to end on.
If you’re open to a couple of tiny, friendly suggestions just to make the rhythm flow even better when read aloud, here is what caught my eye:
In the line "Now they are call themself Morgan," the grammar gets just a little bit tangled. If you change it to "Now they call themselves Morgan" (or even "Now they’re calling themselves Morgan"), it keeps that same punchy, modern rhythm but flows a bit more smoothly.
Also, at the very end, if you drop the word "And" from the last line, the final punch lands incredibly fast and strong:
Now they kiss girls and boys
Telling people to fuck off if they have a problem with that.
Honestly, this is beautiful, brave writing. It takes a lot of courage to put your past and your present on the page like this, but you did it with so much grace and power. Keep writing, keep sharing your voice, and above all, keep being unapologetically you.
I’m so glad you found your way to Morgan.
Hello, hello!
I'm not sure whether "noble" needs a capital letter, unless the capitalisation has some particular significance?
These two lines are nice because they give us a quick image of who the narrator used to be at school. The doodling and secret reading make them feel like an actual person rather than the poem only being about their identity. I think that having a little look into who they are adds a lot to the reading experience.
I also think "reading under the desk" sounds a little more natural than "reading underneath the desk," but either works.
I like that this is where the poem becomes much more confident and outwardly defiant, especially after Morgan flinches and whispers near the beginning. "Laugh at all the haters" feels a little more like something from a social media caption than the rest of the poem, though. The earlier images are quite specific and personal, while "haters" is more general. You could deepen this by showing us what they are laughing at or who is reacting to the flag.
***
This is a very nice poem, especially considering last month was Pride! I think this has a good emotional progression from discomfort and hiding to confidence and defiance. The switch to "now" is effective for that because it separates the person others thought Morgan was from the person they understand themselves to be.
The strongest details for me are the ones about doodling during lessons and reading under the desk. They're small, but they make the narrative feel real and give me a glimpse of their life before the poem moves into the broader statements about gender and sexuality. I think adding more similarly specific details toward the end would make the confident version of them feel just as vivid. Where are they waving the flag? Who do they kiss? What does their laughter sound like? At the moment, the beginning shows Morgan while the ending mostly tells people about them.
I'd also think carefully about the repeated use of "girl." I understand what you're doing, but it could be read as continuing to define Morgan in the exact way they're rejecting.
Cheers, thanks for sharing!
Lipton