Portraits of My City

I am just
Stories and life
Grief and forgiveness
We all want to
Belong

Now I’m free
And I
Choose
To watch the children
Laugh

I gather
The wild parts of Oakland
So I can hold them
In my
Arms

I am the keeper
Of words and variables
Moving through
Space
I think I’ve done it

You may not respect me
But I
Have dedicated my life
To Sweetness
Just like the bees

They needed some help
So I walked
Five thousand miles to teach
What it means to be
A citizen

I should probably
Grow up
But my small hands
Hold
So much wisdom

Get your money
Live your life
Face death
You can’t bring all this
With you

I watch
Death and reunion
The sun sets and
Only I
Experience it

Every day
Another chance
To get up from the dirt floor
Another chance to hold
My son

I give
Myself:
Wisdom.
I am here to remind you
You have so far to go

Dance with me
I will show you
Nothing else matters
But
Love