She let herself get lost in alphabet soup again.

Her name alone,

Never enough.

Called herself

Val Smith, N.L.B.M.N.

(No letters behind my name).

At 40,

Invited huge debt,

To become

Val Smith, B.A.

She was proud.

Thought herself enough,

Until she didn’t again.

Alphabet soup burns hot.

All the letters follow

B, except A.

Takes a breath,

Remembers

Many of the wisest people she knows,

Have no letters at all behind their names.

They are enough.