The Women In My Family

Women in my family have to fight Fight to live fight to die One born premature with challenges With a heart so pure settling the balances She was a model name Tiffany Like her name she was very pretty Stayed sane despite the insanity Cancer took her but not her virginity She was a slave whose name is unknown In a photo dress is full beige and long She made a sacrifice for us to achieve Named her baby my great grandmom Mary. She was Mary and quite contrary No nonsense with a hint of fairy She made wonders from a wood stove Raising grandchildren as she did so to vote Her namesake Sister Mary Would carry on this voting destiny Fighting in life the man and her man To make a life with Christ as American And Wanda Jazmin Gail was soft spoken Despite her challenging life she kept hope and Beat cancer beat the odds of black in the south Covid took her body but her spirit lives proud And there is me the poetic strange type I too persevere from many a fight Fight to raise a black son in a hostile USA Fight to the rights of Roe vs Wade Fight to eat when food is so high Except junk food which is cheap all kinds Fight to enjoy land that I may never own Fight of the nights molesting devils roam. The women in my family would never write this For they are too strong to need a word such as is A poetic petition praying for perseverance The women in my family are of courage and endurance. 7/2/2022 Written for The Women In My Family Poetry Contest Sponsor Soto Poet