Who am I

[mcgook]

Who am I to do this
          I am a survivor
          I am a healer
          who is not healed
I am a risk taker
          I am a bleeder
          I am constantly wounded
And who I am will
            continue to take on
            those wounds
            for the scars that
            tattoo my speeches
            my pitches
            my flavours and colours
Who am I to do this
          I am a woman
          without stockings but
          with worn out bootstraps
          without filters
          but with shattered
          glass ceilings
And who I am will
          pound the rhythms
          of human steps
          and fiery winds
          carrying seeds
          and watering roots
            of change
Who am I to do this
          I am a light that
          refuses to burn
          in silence
I claim myself

I was watching a documentary that featured YouthSpeaks - a spoken word group teaching kids to use poetry to find their voices. One mentor discussed the doubts and struggle to find the "audacity" to buck trends and pressure, the struggle to find one's voice and speak up about issues that matter to us. I love YouthSpeaks and all the Spoken Word (or slam) poetry groups. I am always inspired, whenever I see or hear them. And so... I actually wrote something, for the first time in years.