24 Poems ~ 24 Hours
I am 52 years old and haven’t written in many years, this is a way for me to start again. I live in otôskwanihk (Calgary Alberta) I am Cree Metis and have struggled with my culture not being raised in Indigenous ways of knowing. I have started a journey of self discovery and healing from my past. My journey has not been an easy one, I know the creator is moving me to where I am supposed to be. I am a mum, a wife, a daughter, a sister but most of all I am me and finally Im starting to love who I am.
There are Skeletons in my closet
Not the kind you may think
There are Ghosts in my closet
Not the kind that haunt your dreams
There are Monsters in my closet
Not the kind from your childhood
They’re all waiting in my closet because
ITS ALMOST HALLOWEEN
Beautiful
Coasting
Flowing
Gliding
Jumping
Looping
Pointing
Skimming
DAMN IT SOMEONE STOLE MY PEN
What is Love?
HE CALLS ME
UGLY
WORTHLESS
STUPID
ASSHOLE
Why doesn’t he love me?
He’s My DAD!
I wont carry your words forward
What is love?
I AM
STRONG
RESLIENT
AMAZING
BEAUTIFUL
What is love?
I LOVE WHO I AM MEANT TO BE
YOUR WORDS NO LONGER HURT ME
Prompt 5 words
Hiding in my fall jacket
Taking that self care mom moment
Sitting in my carport before I go inside
Before the cars lightbulb gives my secret away
Drinking from my Starbucks Bucket
Wrapped in cinnamon warmth
Moms Secret Time
Mmmmmm Pumpkin Spice Season
Dances through the milky way
Stardust thrown into the galaxies
Singing her beauty from full to new
Lights the way
Healing, Strength, Wisdom
Tides wash our female souls
Honouring with Drum and Songs
Grandmother Moon
Nitanis
Sadness swings back and forth
You were my sunshine
Grief swings back and forth
You were my star
Darkness swings back and forth
You were my light
My Girl you are missed and loved always
Image Prompt
GOING ON AN ADVENTURE
Staring down the barrel
Quietly
Silently
Holding my breath
AIM
SHOOT
BUMBLE BEE FLYS AT ME
AHHHHH
RUN AWAY
Marriage Prompt
I Chose You Today
I Chose You Along The Way
I Chose You Forever
not Indigenous enough!
DONT
don’t speak ancestry language
don’t have dark hair
don’t have the right coloured skin
don’t know about culture
not Indigenous enough!
YOU
you white women
you shouldn’t wear that
you shouldn’t be here
you pretendian
not Indigenous enough!
LISTEN
listen for drums beating
listen when the wind blows
listen when elders teach
listen to Creator
not Indigenous enough
not Indigenous enough
not Indigenous enough
not Indigenous enough
This plagues my mind….
It haunts my heart…..
MY SOUL SCREAMS!!!
ENOUGH!
DONT YOU LISTEN
TO THOSE LIES!
ITS TIME TO DECOLONIZE
THIS MINDSET DIVIDES OUR COMMUNITY
FUCK JUDGEMENTAL ASSHOLES
THEY DONT KNOW YOU
WE ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS FROM OTHER NATIONS
STOP BLOOD QUANTUMING
SUPPORT EACH OTHER
RISE UP
STAND TALL
BE STRONG
BE RESILENT
I KNOW WHO I AM
I FEEL THE BLOOD OF THE ANCESTORS WITHIN
I AM TRAVELING MY JOURNEY
I AM PROUD
I AM LEARNING
I AM CREE
I AM METIS
I AM ENOUGH
I AM INDIGENOUS!
Prompt Two – Text Prompt:
Write a poem from the point of view of yourself, ten years ago.
Age is just a number right?
What have I accomplished?
How can I be this old?
Is that a grey hair?
Why does my back hurt?
40 is the new 30 right?