Making Peace with the Blood Within Me

Thanks Grampa....and Gramma

I never met you
but all of your bloods flow through my veins.

One Black
One White
Hear tell it, somebody in our line was even Asian...
and probably Native American.

What was it like to fall in love with someone
who didn't look like you, smell like you...
and probably didn't taste like anyone you'd ever put your lips on?

I don't know why you did what you did,
I don't know how you endured all that you endured...
so, I can only ... thank you.

I thank the Heavens for you.

In this world where I find myself now -
I want to ... "pick sides"
I want to ... herald my Blackness for all the pain that was endured.
I want to ... detest my non-Blackness for all that was "put upon us"...
All the bigotry and ignorance that my "Black-side" was subjected to.
Because, according to the laws of yesteryear one drop was all it took to make a baby "Black".

Still...I thank the Heavens for you.

In this world where I find myself now -
I don't need to..."pick sides".
"Sides" are "picked" for me.

Nevertheless, you still joined together
And the result was the birth of several beautiful babies
...including me.

Gramma and Grampa, I wish you could see
All that we have grown to be.

Yea, f$%k ups happen now and again.
But, generally...I'm glad to BE
the Black woman who resulted from
Your copulation
So that I can
...be...
...ME....

...thank you...

C.A. Paige©November 2007

*This fits no poetry "form" that I know of- it flowed as it did from God thru my fingers to this computer -- so here u have it....enjoy...or not...but, it's out of me;-).