Wednesday, May 28, 2014

lessons from Maya

Lessons from Maya

Own your story
Mother Maya wrote the pain down
So it didn’t  consume
Her
Turned hurt into passion
Anger into fire
That didn’t burn
But would push
Carry and convict with
A question or a poem

Queens shouldn’t run
From their stories
Hold them in the palm of
Our hands
Let them live and breathe
Squeeze and let go
Lest we be victims of
A world not meant for us
Not fair for us

We control what we do
With our lives
How we make them count
Give birth to the dreams
That
The world tries to beat
Out of bellies

Behold
Black woman brilliance
I would offer
You words

But you had so many
And you gave them
Freely

We don’t own language
We command it
Use it in service
To our people
Even though it has limits

I wish upon your star
That you knew
How bright you shined into my life

Just as you drove streetcars
Over streets
Danced to your own beat
Became queen
And poet
And the embodiment of
All about black womanhood
All that is complicated
All that is perfect
All that is worthwhile
And
All that is unknown

It is said that if a writer falls
In love with you
You can never die

And Maya
Our beautiful winged bird
Finally free

Will always FLY