Friday, May 6, 2011

I Am

I am the deep blue-green-gray-purple of the ocean’s icy depths.

I am the burning red-orange-gold of the hottest molten flow.

I am the burbling laughter of an eternal spring.

I am shards of moonlight falling in a silent symphony.

I am the pain so fierce it makes your bones ache, blood freeze, and your nerves sing.

I am warmth and softness to hold you in the darkest parts of night.

I am the tree that bends during spring’s harsh wind-storms,
the rock upon which all is built,
and the ever-changing sea.

I am words and letter, paper and ink, knowledge and the unknown.

I am wooden shoes that klomp along on ancient cobblestone,
flowers that grow from the earth, stolen from the sea.

I am wild violins, bright living colors, and an unquenchable thirst for change.

I am sacred chants, tobacco offerings, and trails of long-shed tears.

I am those who were lost, those who were beaten, and those who were confined.

I am eyes who saw more death than I can bear,
hands who slaved for those who hated me,
hearts that broke with every step I took,
and spirits that refused to be confined.

I am and I am not – scarred, tortured, tread upon and forgotten.

I am and I am not – alive, exuberant, determined and free.

I am intelligent and dumb,
can see and yet am blind,
can feel but could not tell how I know I do.

I am too big for my skin,
too small for my soul.

I am a life-giver, a caretaker, a lover, a woman.

 I am a poet, a dreamer, a philosopher, a human.

I am everything and nothing,
and all that’s in between.

I am.

8 comments:

  1. Absolutely lovely. Powerful and just amazingly lovely.
    Julie

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  2. Wow. Incredible. Unbelievably complete, yet open to growth and change. That is the most beautiful thing I've read in a long time.

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  3. Thank you for the lovely comments, you two. :)

    This was written ages ago for a creative writing class, and it's still one of my favorite pieces from that semester.

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  4. This is the only one I remember. I even wrote it on a clipboard (in storage). I'm pretty sure I remember it correctly:

    Autumnal

    Somnolent late afternoon
    I stare with dark ocean eyes
    watching the rise of the moon

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  5. This is brilliant - evocative and beautiful. Thank you.

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  6. Whoa. I was so busy catching up on Tweets that I missed this. Am glad I came back and found it. Just...whoa. Amazing!

    And love the new layout!

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  7. That's beautiful.
    Love the new design too :-)

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