Pieces of Me
Separate me from you,
they could never do it
You’re a part of me—
Though you were ripped from me,
I sought you
fervently
In my soul…I felt you
I saw your beauty
I saw your grace
I heard your lulling chant deep within my throat
I felt your call to dance
A spirit-connected daughter of the land
With braided hair,
I glimpsed long passed ancestors
With lift of chin,
I witnessed the strength of Courage’s stare
The height of a cheekbone
The soul connection with Mama Earth
My soul dwells here
Separation by blade
Separation by erasure
theft of language
theft of bodies and culture,
You aimed to blot out my people’s history
Lips oozing with fabricated tales of gore,
They cloaked us as savages wrapped in mystery
But the river told me a different story
The hills sang a different tune
The wind pushed me in a new direction
The sun warmed me up to the truth
I heard you dear ancestors
I witnessed your power
Moonchild,
Reclaim your heritage
These stories are yours
These treasures passed on words we whisper into the wind
Keep your heart listening in earnest
We will speak in tongues they couldn’t sever
For we are warriors,
Forever resilient
Forever one with the land
ASL | 3.23.20
Prncsslyssaart 