i was at war with
myself & the world
i am here,
not to provoke you
despite
that i am not you
that my skin is dark rose
that my hair is thick as forest
that my tongue is quick as snake
me compassion
& priceless gifts
that i can speak freely
that i can act and believe in my
faith and decisions
that i don't need to cover my face
nor hair if I choose not to
that i don't need to step back
for someone else to go in
first
favored
see that sky is blue
not charcoal in dust or gunpowder
see that streets are clean
not mired in holes or littered by dead
bodies, whose faces i knew
whose lives i knew
whose nightmares I heard
see my reflection upon the emerald lake
underneath this scarred face & body
...a fire in my eyes
...a sword my hands move
to grasp
i am here.
thank you for a new
beginning
Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - Privilege, hosted by Anmol (HA). I admire my adopted country, Canada, for being in forefront of defending and advocating for women rights like the Yazidi women who survived ISIS and the Saudi teen escaping Saudi Arabia.
Thanks for the visit.
I think when we can share the privileges we have with those who suffer we have taken a giant step towards understanding ourselves better actually.
ReplyDeleteyour title is strong micro poetry Grace, I came to read because it draws me straight into your world. this is wonderful imagery with words, i see, feel and hear you.
ReplyDeleteThis is a strong poem. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis poem is so nicely crafted, Grace. I love the shape and the repetition of ‘I am here’ which reminds us of the presence of others, some intruding, some hiding themselves, some baring their souls, all different, all needing or looking for something. I also love the contrast between word ’provoke’ in the second stanza and ‘compassion’ in the third, and the lines:
ReplyDelete‘i am here, because you made me
see that sky is blue
not charcoal in dust or gunpowder’.
Your strength is only bested by your compassion. Your closing stanza is killer bang on. I love the message, that many of us should be humbled by our particular privileges; not everyone is so fortunate.
ReplyDeleteGrace, I'm glad "you are", your poem is powerful and poignant.
ReplyDeleteSure have to take stock of what we have many a time, as some aren't as fortunate
ReplyDeleteWow...so heart wrenching. You speak of what many of us have only ever heard about. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteExcellentperspective, Grace! The clean streets not littered by dead bodies got to me.
ReplyDeleteA cool immigrant poem
ReplyDeleteAs I read your poem it felt like a prayer of thanksgiving for the blessings you have been given!
ReplyDeletei am here, because you have given
me compassion & priceless gifts
You are Grace personified. I love this poem. I m also grateful to Canada for giving you space to shine.
ReplyDeleteAh, this is such a tender and thoughtful verse, Grace! I love how your compassion and understanding fill the gaps in this story. The politics is subtly represented which is such a good way of going about it. I loved this strong assertion: "despite/that i am not you/that my skin is dark rose/that my hair is thick as forest/that my tongue is quick as snake".
ReplyDeleteYour voice shows us that privilege does not have mean "a wall," but can mean "open arms."
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful write Grace.
ReplyDeleteI love it. Powerful.
ReplyDeleteSoils Without
ReplyDeleteBlood-Shed
Sadly too
A Privilege
That Increases
Blood Shed on other
Soils Already Soaked With Blood...
How We take
Freedom
And
Forget
to Give it..
Privilege Given Granted...
Taking Away From Others As Blood....
Wonderfully wrought, Grace. I especially like your framing of being at war with yourself & the world, then emerging at the end with fire in your eyes.
ReplyDeleteGrace, this is an important and wonderful poem. I love it.
ReplyDeleteThat was very moving, your courage and gratitude shone through, brightly!
ReplyDeleteThe repetition here is so effective. The imagery as well. The last stanza, set off to the side, is almost like a new placement for the I -- so a new beginning.
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful, a poem of being grateful, of being given a chance that doesn't exist for others.
ReplyDeleteiconically imagistic, with each line so subtly yet powerfully delivering such a powerful witness of the importance of being! Well done!
ReplyDeleteThat's a very powerful poem. It really made me stop and think about what it must like to be a refugee from a brutal war then ending up in a foreign land with utterly different values and customs. Suzanne - from Wordpress "Being in Nature"
ReplyDelete