Who Am I Before

Who am I
Before they came and
Declared my people
Savage
And in need of
Saving

Who am I
Before they turned me
Against my mother tongue
So that I would find it
Shameful to speak with my lips

Who am I
Before they convinced me
My ancestors’ ways of healing
Of being
Of magic-making
Were less than
And Never worthy until
Proven
Sanctioned
Declared
by those who claim authority

Who am I
Before I saw the land that bore me
And raised me
As a place that couldn’t sustain me
And my dreams
And my liberty

Who am I
Before I started to
Believe that my freedom
And happiness could Only be found
Somewhere else
And made my home
Among the people
Who ravaged mine

Who am I before I
Became someone
who swallowed up
This sweet tasting poison
of whiteness
Until only the darkness of my skin
Remained the thing they couldn’t
erase
touch
Bind
Who am I before I
was asleep
To all
The indigenous women
Within

Now I know

The wise
The Powerful
The angry

The multitudes that live inside me

The love
The potential

The beauty
And the fucking brilliance

All That is me