Raised by Women...

I recently stumbled across a poem that I wrote my senior year of college for my Black Women Writer's course. Yes, I took Black Women Writers - and it was honestly one of the best college courses I have ever taken. Dr. Viola Newton was such an inspirational and dynamic professor at Ohio State (excuse me, THE Ohio State - for all of those of you who enjoy correcting me). This course really allowed me an opportunity to learn more about myself through the various writings of black women and their dealings with oppression, self-definition and perseverance.

This writing assignment was based on our reading of Kelly Norman Ellis's poem "Raised by Women," - we each were asked to put into a poem our experience being raised by women and what those women represented to us. So enjoy this little diddy:

Raised by Women

I was raised by

Coffee drinking

Perogie making

Cookie baking so good

you want to die

“Get yourself some seconds”

Kind of women.

Some independent

Strong willed

Don’t mess with me,

unless you want your face slapped

Sort of women.

Some hard working

Goal pushing

In your face strong minded

Love to learn

Educated

Kind of women.

Some party to you drop

Dance like there’s no tomorrow

Fun loving

Life living

Sort of women.

Some take you under my

wing caring

Kind hearted, compassionate

protective, supportive

Pick you up off the ground

I’ll love you because you’re you

Kind of women.

I was raised by women.