I was too chicken to try and meet the late great Dr. Maya Angelou,

She was a professor right in my hometown.

Too timid to profess how much Alice Walker inspires me.

Too sleep to tell Evie Shockley that she’s dope,

But in my dreams, they all know so.

I was too discouraged to keep submitting my works

to publishers,

Too unsure of self to reinforce my voice.

Too lost in self as I ruminated on movies such as: 

The Color Purple

Eve’s Bayou

What’s Love Got to Do with It

And such,

Something in the way of my confidence

And such

Is life.

But now,

Today,

I sense where I belong

I feel it

I felt it all along,

MY WHOLE LIFE.

And so now I shall step out on faith more than I ever have before.

I shall knock, “Lady Opportunity?”

I am busting down the door.

Acting on impulse? No, but out of passion and desire.

Life has too long tried to put out my fire.

Always a risk taker,

I am the generational curse breaker.

I am going to show what can be done

After a massive period of healing,

Grieving the old me,

But saying,

“Don’t worry,

Baby

Girl – 

You rest easy. You did your job, boo.

I got you.”