a child entrains
to the sound of her nana’s voice,
and in the attunement,
learns to sing
and know belonging
long after nana is gone
one day she is singing
her song of belonging
and she is told, “stop!
you stole that song!
it doesn’t belong to you
it belongs to my people”
and she wondered “why,
if we both learned the song
from our nanas, can we not
belong, together?”
because she still belonged to her nana
she asked her to help her understand.
“oh, honey, baby, sweetie pie
the world is hard, don’t pay it no mind.
some people only
see with their eyes.
you go right on singin’ our song.
i’m here with you, baby. you’re mine.
you might have to keep it
in private, until
you meet someone who
hears with their eyes,
and sees with their heart. don’t worry, baby,
you’ll find your people. maybe not tomorrow,
nana’s here with you, forever,
and forever is a mighty long time.”