my name

My name means "dark princess" or "dark-haired, which was an honest coincidence, my mother told me. My name comes from the Irish county, called "Chiarrai" in Irish Gaelic, which means "Ciar's people." I am Irish, but I wasn't named wholly because of that fact. My brother suggested Kerry, and my mother automatically thought of the county in Ireland and liked it. I used to not like my name because it's uncommon. I've heard all the jokes involving the verb "to carry". I've had to correct the spelling for as long as I can remember. I think it's detestable when used in rhymes. 'Kerry' doesn't roll off your tongue by itself. It's blunt. It's bent. It's a scarecrow. It's a crunchy leaf falling to pieces in your palm. There's nothing very desirable about it. The spelling, though. There is something about its spelling... I imagine myself taking countryside walks through the county Kerry. I'd introduce myself to the people and maybe they would not take me for a tourist, accents aside. I would eat potatoes and cabbage and live a tranquil life. I would return home only to realize that I will never feel that free, that at home with myself for as long as I live.

Uh, I hate writing things about myself in Creative Writing. I would almost rather write a poem about my teacher's bald, shiny head.