Standing on broken legs

Courage, beauty, legacy

It still hurts

I can’t look too close at

your smile

Flashing and wide

over dark smooth skin

Your bright in the dark

Ghosts of the night

stealing forests and our sound

hated your light

You kept beaming

I shine

 

At 40 you sat on ashes

Prepared for a journey

A tornado of greed

caused you to rise

Flapping your wings

Shaking off hatred

Standing on broken legs

Swept off the ground

A mad woman’s dance?

You might crash and die

The phoenix fills the sky as

hawks of the night become very small

 

You call and

small hesitating steps answer

You put out a hand and

the world reached out

Children became humming birds

Women are free

Men regain their balance

Water sparkles

The air breathes

Soil comes alive

To grow the tree of life

that I climb

Thank you, Wangare

 

BT