on the wings of morning, holding back

On the wings of morning

i'm gonna lay down my burden
down by the riverside
down by . . .

you said i came to you
after a hard day's work
maneuvering
the dark tunnel
from your center
the searing pain
whipped your loins
and there i was
a small scream
clearing my throat
the future close-up
to address the past

years later
on the wings of morning
you left us
cracked and splintered

that morning and
mornings to come
my voice did constrict
as i wondered how
you could have walked
away from three little girls

and a boy somewhere
out there swimming
in murky waters

i did retreat to my
silent chamber, mama
unlocked only by
your letters and visits
in the absence of
your talc powder scent
healing hands
and blue drawers
i discovered i am a child
with my father's
proud ways
and your tenacity

you did come back
found the cracks
and like the artist you are
glued them together

ah mama, a few years later
i met up with your pain
ambushed by the very
decision you made
when you refused to accept anything
less than credible

now here i am
compiling the flesh
of the ones left behind
trying to fit
the pieces together
side-tracked sometimes
only by my own healing

Holding back

a nuh every ting
good fe eat
good fe talk
a true

sometimes yuh afe
swallow yuh spit wid pride
an tek bad tings mek laugh
fe wipe pain from a race

suh from time to time a bite me lips
an hold de womanness of me in
grin and pretend it nuh hurt

a nuh every ting
good fe eat
good fe tell
a true
but you cyan keep de truth down forever

sometimes ah de only ting can free yuh
so even when yuh try fe hold the truth dun fe a time
be ready fah when it bust loose