Posts for June 29, 2023 (page 10)

I am a strong, Appalachian woman
Raised by strong, Appalachian women
Tougher’n a pine knot, and proud of it

We were molded by the hand of God to
Withstand whatever cards we are dealt
Here in these mountains we call home

For so many generations we have been
Learning to cultivate a life here, a place
That not everyone can learn how to tame 

I am of granny witches and healer women
Mountain magic and old herabl remedies 
A world within a world that should not exist

Yet it does exist; it is here and it is everywhere
Mountain magic made by barefeet and hands
Calloused from giving and giving and giving 

A horse shoe over the door; salt in the corner 
A breath blown into the mouth of a child that
Will cure the thrush; hands laid to stop blood

Us women of the mountains are so many things
Keepers of ancient secrets
Knowers of the seen and unseen

all they gave
to honor
my son
shot down
by mass shooter 
do I praise the joy
he gave
Or denounce
the killer
with hate
I chose
not to stoop
down
but professed
my love
and loss
of my
boy’s
shining
Light.

Cymbals and untuned strings
as I drew my bow across the violin,
it sang for me in nightmare melodies
of childhood dreams,
and I am not afraid,
I ride them like waves,
surfing the curl and chop
all the way onto shore break.

Through thousands of days
And a million ways
Over tongues and into arteries
Feeding fragile hearts
The power of three tiny words is enough to move mountains of doubt.
And I have to believe,
Through it all
They are enough.

I am sorry
for the mess
I will leave. 

I have never been tidy.