i wear my heritage proudly

I.
i wear my heritage proudly
in my eyes, fresh raked
farm, brown soil. my blood
is a river into which
my ancestors dip
dahlia flowers as a parting gift―
i stand spine arched
& tongue metalled.

II.
metalled
stances, eyes glinting . i press
riddles my grandmothers before me
asked to my back & colour the world
outrageous red. proud stances,
metal spines, my
blood a river not just mine.

III.
my blood a river not just
mine; dahlia flowers―
pink petals unfurling,
tongues rolling. i imagine
my grandmothers before me
as strong women, their pink tongues
sharp-edged, eyes glinting. i stand

i wear my heritage proudly

wearing proud stances,
stories my ancestors sang
strung to my back,
become wings, become flights,
become red outlines.

my blood a river not just mine.