By Michelle Cruz
My hands…dirty from hours in the soil toiled by the ancestors
My skin…glistening to deep mocha as I soak in our same sun…deep earth…revolutions apart
My plants…think of last night’s rain fondly as I remember you
My eyes gleam from their shine
This land is mine now…How divine
This land is mine now…How divine
We remember you…with each passing day
And the knowledge you instilled in us…dormant
Finally ready to receive your light
Our eyes gleam from your shine
This land is ours now…How divine
This land is ours now…How divine
We remember you…as the flowers dance in the wind
Wondering when they will leave the earth below
To exude joy to those who smell the sweet promise of Spring
The way you do
We can feel your presence
Waiting in anticipation
You’ve got grandma’s eyes
Deep as the earth…So bright they shine
Your land is ours now…How divine
Your land is ours now…How divine
You return…Just in Time…. <3
From the Author: Amid all that we are going through, I took time for solace in music, put on my headphones and meditated for over an hour last evening. After that time, images of my grandmother, father, mother, pictures of family members I never got to meet filled my memory…I thought about what they taught me, whether by example, or a story I heard when I was a child of their perseverance through tough times. I took a long breath in and out again, got some paper and this piece came out of me. Make no mistake, this is a time of grief but also a time to reflect on how we can continue. We are a people of resilience and I find through the power of community and grace, little by little, we will find a way. That has been my motto through all of my work and if we are able to uplift our collective light, we will all shine.
Michelle Cruz;
• Singer/Songwriter/Farmer/Founder of Natural Creola
• Director of Community Engagement-Trinity Repertory, Providence Rhode Island
• FSNE RI Trailblazer
• FSNE Network Leadership Institute, 2018-2019
