Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
i used to take pride in my
handbasket present, a
feast of no cost needed
but your presence and
whatever you would offer.
known for my no agenda,
i could walk shameless—a
bliss that superceded
incisive divisive race
borders and glass ceilings.
i only had to swallow
every hurt and call it
fertilizer—cosi i’d become
a star. and later, a black
hole. moments of no
agenda but fear torn inner
terrain—lost—but so found
the voices knew my name.
confidencecrumble &
dungeonrumble i became.
moved in stutterstep &
slitwhisper. from such
murkwater I learned to
prosper a vision that
includes my own life so
when I open the
handbasket, there is food
for me, too, inside.
Melissa Ferrer Civil (she/they) is a poet, organizer, educator, and writer living on Kaw, Kansa, Kickapoo, & Oceti Sakowin lands (KCMO). They love all things reconciliatory and redemptive—especially liberation. They were long listed for the 2021 Palette Poetry Emerging Poet Prize. They are a Charlotte Street Studio Resident. Their words live in Rising Phoenix Review, Voicemail Poems, Fahmidan Journal, et al. You can find out more about them and their work at http://www.melissaferrerand.com. You can follow them on IG at @melissaferrerand.
JMWW 