Hola
mi Gente…
In
some cultures, part of the coming-of-age ritual involved the offering of a
praise poem. It was a way of identifying your gifts, of establishing who you
were, and what you were bringing to your community. In a way, the praise poem
tradition forced a member of a tribe or society to recognize and commit to
their gifts. The following poem, written by Aurora Levins Morales, was inspired
by her multicultural heritage and diversity. In it, she identifies the virtues
of her diversity, the power she derives from her multi-ethnic make up. Perhaps
you can write a poem following her format describing your own ethnic
background.
* * *
Child of the Americas
I am a child of the Americas,
a light-skinned mestiza from the
Caribbean,
a child of many diaspora, born
into this continent at a crossroads.
I am a U.S. Puerto Rican Jew,
a product of the ghettos of New
York I have never known.
An immigrant of the daughter and
grandaughter of immigrants.
I speak English with passion:
it's the tongue of my consciousness,
a flashing blade of cristal, my
tool, my craft.
I am Caribeña, island-grown.
Spanish is my flesh,
Ripples from my tongue, lodges
in my hips:
the language of garlic and
mangoes,
the singing of poetry, the
flying gestures of my hands.
I am of Latinoamerica, rooted in
the history of my continent,
I speak from that body.
I am not African. Africa is in
me, but I cannot return.
I am not taína. Taíno is in me,
but there is no way back.
I am not European. Europe lives
in me, but I have no home there.
I am new. History has made me.
My first language was spanglish.
I was born at the crossroads
and I am whole.
-- Aurora Levins Morales
My name
is Eddie and I’m in recovery from civilization…
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