Birthright

Birthright

I am my mother’s daughter,
so I know
the difference between fewer and less,
and the healing properties of chocolate.
I know
all the president’s men,
and the lyrics of Simon and Garfunkel,
and
how to read a poem.

I am my mother’s daughter,
so I know
how to navigate seas
of shadows and light
and speak truth
even when you ache.
(Especially when you ache.)

I am my mother’s daughter,
so I know
beauty is all around us
and danger nearby.
I know hogans face east
and life is okay
if the cat is all right.

I am my mother’s daughter,
so I know,
how autumn explodes,
things end and begin again
in November.
I know
the scents of cedar and sage,
and the sound of a drum
calling us out to dance.

–Cynthia Sillitoe, August 2013