Dont ask me what it means
I know you’ll misunderstand.
You’ll look at me and I’ll see it in your eyes
I’ll hear it in the way you say
"OH COOL!"
How could an 18 year old have a testimony?
How could she be a witness?
What is she evidence of?

Well, Man behind me in line at target, let me fill you in on the details

My Testimony is one of strength so perseverant
that a blue faced brother couldn’t stop it,
an imprisoned father couldn’t mock it
and a thousand night terrors couldn’t exhaust it.

I am a witness to patience
so pure
a river of blood,
flowing from my wrist ,
couldn’t stain it.
A church,
couldn’t shame it,
and a rapist
couldn’t claim it.

I am evidence
that we don’t always need somebody to lean on,
I am evidence that with endurance and integrity
and the fear that no one will remember my name,
when I was told that i am not good enough
for college
I am not good enough to be publish,
or get a job
or find someone who loves me
or raise a child
I realized they were right
I was not good enough
WAS

But now, yes at 18 years old, I am good enough.

So, mister in line at Target,
the tattoo on my shoulder means
I am evidence
that you can come from a broken home
and still feel homesick
that your father can tell you how much he wants to die
and while you’re in your crib, he’ll hold a gun to his head
and you can still love him.
I am evidence that you can get scared
and cry
and yell
and bleed every drop of blood and can
and after it’s all over
I can find the will
to laugh
and find joy
and feel the sun on my face
and smell the flowers

That is what it means.