This poem combines the prompts to write a poem in the voice of a family member, and to write a children’s poem. In this case I offer a message to my infant self in the silenced voice of an enslaved African ancestor, with all the love and gratitude I hold for her.
you a treasure
by n by
I call the mother
in the sky
her skirt be made
of shell and sea
gather round
you tiny mesee your eyes
so blue n clear
skin as light
as ginger beerdanger comes
hold you close
invisibility
gives up the ghostsometime soon
I say my name
unwrap my head
mokekere gamegift to you
so strong and free
plant ancestor
ceiba treelearn to dance
sing out loud
keep the light
wash the shroudcalabash
pull all the tears
shoulda been shed
over the yearshum a notion
bake a pie
shmm
say spirits flyin bythem white folks tried
to bring you down
put your spirit
in the groundyup they did
the same to me
door kreen open
show the seatake a good look
at the water
you sweet chile
are the ocean’s daughterblack folks
rise you up one day
send your behind
out to playdop dip dop
rain come down
clean the blood
from out the groun’you n me
we hold handsnever
let
go
Copyright © 2014 Sharon Elliott. All Rights Reserved.
The Change 