Where I'm From

Where am I from? I’m from that place in you That you hide That place in me In everybody Where the soul lives scared and hungry Where everyone hides From there own truth and questions. Will I be pretty? Echoes like a drum In a metal cage Made of wire Where a bird sings For your soul So it will rise up out of the place The cage. We make that cage You know That one of questions Of doubts Of fears Doubts and Fears Inspired by peers Driven by peers But we don’t blame them Never Until it’s convenient Then it’s their fault As if they have the key The lock To the cage, the place. We know they do not. I’m from that place in me where Please Love Me! I can be strong If only for you For myself For somebody I want to be Strong For somebody. I’ve got two siblings Four parents Countless cousins Aunts and Uncles Grandparents A community State Country I’ve got the World, you know. I’ll be strong for them Hold my head high Square my shoulders Because I’m a woman I can’t be strong Docile Gentle Beautiful So many Mixed emotions So many Mixed messages So many Mixed dreams So many Fears Be fearless! Don’t hesitate Just take your time Don’t be Afraid To Fail Is the Worst Worse than not trying Don’t ever fail. I come from that place. I’m a writer A teacher A believer I’m seventeen I have blood Bones Body Soul Please hold me. I get cold Because I am Anemic I get cold Because I am thin Too thin Forever thin I see sticks in the magazines Pretty sticks Forever pale and pretty sticks Prettier than me Paler than me They parade around And that’s where I’m from Too From Self Hatred From Self Loathing No forgiveness for the aching heart I eat I pray I dream I’m not jealous. I don’t need to look like her Or be like her Or feel like her Or live like her Have her money Her car Her friends I want my own. Just not like me To not be like me To be like me Is beautiful And to be like you Is beautiful too If only We can see. Everyone wants to be different Aching to be different Yearning to be different Unique Then denying their differences Deleting their differences Powdering their differences No! They search high and low Then want to be the same All the same Always the same In gangs In cliques With a trend Indulging a fad Don’t give up hope on being beautiful yet! I have to say it Sometimes I hope you say it Sometimes We need to say it Together And mean it. I’m from somewhere in my soul In your soul A worldwide soul And I’m screaming out to all the others Be! For this is what God meant for us Or He wouldn’t make you And me A We. The places I’m from. Are me.