Words That Escaped

Storytelling that magnifies the expression of feelings. Read on as the writer takes you on a journey of self discovery through use of poetry.

As You See Fit

I once hated the skin I’m in,

It was too bright and too thin,

I guess it never had enough melanin,

My mother said that I was Black,

So why didn’t I fit in?

I thought, "Forget it, I’ll just go tan."

Then everyone will see the golden bands,

That ignite my bright,

And when the light hits just right,

They will also see my plight,

I won’t have to defend my story anymore,

I’ll be accepted forever more,

My skin will thicken and my attitude, too,

I won’t mind being defensive,

I’ll just speak my truth,

Even when it hurts,

Me or you...

But my soul began to cry and I didn’t like the pain,

I’ve done a lot of soul searching,

And once I was done, nothing remained,

I needed to know who I was,

Despite what others told me,

I needed to accept all of my pieces, whole heartedly,

So, I stripped myself down to my bare bones,

My spirit started to whisper,

And this is what I was told,

"You are beautiful. You are whole.

Your ancestors swirl inside of you. You are home."

"The only truth you should speak, is your own,

Your past is a nuisance, just let it go,

Own who you are, inside and out,

It's your mother and your father,

That’s what you're about,

Identify as you see fit,

This is for you,

It isn't about them,

The ones who've question your presence,

Take what you've learned and respect it,

This is just the beginning of your life lessons,

But you cannot grow cold,

You will miss your blessings..."

And at that very moment, I decided to live,

To love my skin and the places I've been,

To cherish my blood and my ancestral ties,

Within their stories, I come alive,

I also learned to stay aware, full of knowledge,

To keep both feet firmly planted, what I learned was how to stay grounded,

I now love who I was and who I'm becoming,

I am who I am,

And that is exactly who I want to be,

That doesn't have to look like anyone, it just has to be me,

I cherish the many cultures we know across lands,

Those from European countries, as well as Egyptian sands,

Every continent holds a special place within my heart,

Learning about the human race, is how we keep from drifting apart,

How much we learn about others, when we learn about ourselves,

Learning more about who I am, has healed a great deal of my soul,

I encourage you to do the same, if you feel yourself spinning out of control,

Learn your family tree and accept it for what it is,

And still identify,

As. You. See. Fit.

#poetry #creativewriting #mixedtheory #truth #healing #blogging