“MINE,” by Ranequa Kelley-Boyd (R.K.B.)

MINE

I speak loud without ever saying a word

This is my moment, now let me feel it

This is mine, my time, my shine, my grind, my 9-5, my one bedroom apartment in the ghetto

This is the story to my stride

of struggle, hustle, pain, fear and hope-

I breathe every second with graciousness because I know what it’s like to waste time

And I know what it looks like when you have goals that do not at all match your actual life or what you seek to flaunt

I have been the fool and have been the dummy that the ventriloquist could always use to play

The dummy that slept around because seasonal depression came back out from underneath the shadows and caused me to turn brittle

And almost break

Back to The 9 year old with depression that walked around with her head down

To The twenty something that had to choose between groceries or gas to drive and perform poetry at a show downtown

Either way, I went hungry that night

Either way, I go hungry

Either way, I’m going to crave something

But this, is MINE

And this is my moment, so let me feel it

Let me dig deep inside to reinvigorate my spirit and cleanse my soul

To show a woman bearing greatness

Who comes at 100%

being in tune, aware and WHOLE

Don’t you know that these are MINE?

My poverty, my riches, my plateaus to my cliff hangers,

These ups and downs of my life all belong to me

I won’t apologize for the parts deemed imperfect

Because I believe in thoughts manifesting my reality

So let me feel em’

Don’t save me