(Photo by Warren Wong on Unsplash)
(Early in February 2021, I entered my first new voice poetry contest, but was not selected. However, I wanted to extend this creation to others & share, with the public, the message the Divine wished for me to express. I trust you will receive the sincerity of this gift with an open heart & remember that you do not need make to make yourself small in any way. By rediscovering the power of my own voice I am finding ways to empower others. It is an honor. Enjoy!)
[Submission Letter to the Judge/Reader/Observer]:
Greetings! I am often referred to as the One. You know? Who, this time around, comes with attachments, styles, habits and tendencies. And I even get to come with a name. Some know it by blood, others more frequently recognize it as Indigo Blackbird, or Indi Black. It was remembered when I was resurrected from the dead, but before I get ahead of myself — I express my deepest gratitude in truth to the Divinity within all beings, things, and existences known and unknown. May we be cloaked & shielded with their brilliant rays of light extending from every heart to another. Embracing all the darkness as we are. Trusting in love, community, expression, honor, reverence & the utmost joy. I give thanks & gratitude to you, the recipient of this letter for being here. For much of my existence I pondered whether anyone could hear the striking nobility and power of the voices of melanated, indigenous beings upon this plane(t). How long were the rugs going to be holding snuggly to all of our accomplishments, inventions, contributions & excellence that were noticeably swept by? When were we going to start showing up for OURSELVES & stop fearing our OWN POWER? When would we start to narrate our stories through authentic expression & in fact, acknowledge why we have been given the gift of sound/vibration in the first place? The will of existence is not an act & there is no value in wasting it with do overs. I intend to burn brighter & leave my mark on every cell, tissue, organ, bone, being, spirit and soul. I know who I am and where I come from. I am here with a purpose as we all are — to create it through our own lives. I am meant to leave a powerful legacy for the people I love the most — my darling daughter, Nova, the one who reminded me that my life is worth living. My life partner, Kristian, there are few words that are worthy of describing the immense love & passion I feel for them (they/her/him). And, for so many others whose light aided in the ignition of this desire. I have arrived & am ready for the world to receive me. I am but one voice representing many. This is much more than a way to accomplish some worldly desire — I am here with a message. Listen…
Sincerely,
Indigo Blackbird
There was an empty, wooden bucket in the pit of my stomach.
I did not even know there was more to this…
I thought when you were frozen you would at least still FEEL something —
Cold, chilling.
As long as it was worth remembering.
Okay, so… that’s settling,
but how else am I supposed to be in-spired?
Mmm,
you mean BREATHE? To be living?
That’s a tough one to perceive, you see, because…
I still have a lot that I am holding on to…
Although I was meant to blossom,
I was told there was no room for me to reach beyond the stars
So,
I clutched myself reluctantly, closely…
in the furthest corner where the shade don’t reach
And chose to become a contortionist.
Testing the ways I could bend and not break,
just getting by like water through the cracks
But in truth,
I knew I was a waterfall.
Oozing generously beneath,
replenishing the very soil from which as seedling I was meant to spring…
Rather than emptying myself when the sun tucked away —
only to pretend again tomorrow,
that not a thing had changed.
That there was nothing significant about me…
What I couldn’t understand was why I thought,
gritting my teeth through every smile,
that I couldn’t fill this bucket up with my own essence when the others weren’t even capable of noticing in the first place.
. . .
Then I made a promise to myself — that I would sparkle.
I would FLY!
THERE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH ROOM FOR ME!
(Photo by Samanraj Raja on Unsplash)