Testimony Poem by Maree Scarlett

Testimony

A
testimonial was written in letters
in my body, capitals and lower
case symbols signed their meaning
on me, in me speaking, me
through my gestures
false truth - dampened
my dance - My walk
in Earth, my music
became a dull wind
blowing.
I
testified against this
subtle invasion;
naked, my witness came from time
with heavy eyelids wanting
to wake, to scream, to yell and to laugh
to play and to smooth -
the embossed lettering on my skin
where war with scripts played by other - generations ravaged my mind of
Self
embedded in culture and traditional messages
my body became the medium. The message
contradicting
My self. My witness came from time
no longer a bystander, selfless
my witness, she, I, we, other, WE
questioned
What food did I eat for my thought?
Was I force-fed? I , She , We vomited.
Where di it begin this need to fight- the other
signifying me, not me
a collective lack of self-esteem
-hammered at my mind
leading toward group hysteria, I watched … all woes

Fear





Fears based in expectation, fears based in projection fears based in ‘what if’s’ hanging on cliff edges and tumbling down slippery slopes
judgement sat supreme watching
I expected …

Peace of mind has not come in gentle waves,
In the same way white hairs on my head,
did not come easy.
I felt the follicle of days
and read , saw
with new skin, my fingers sighted new tissue.
My Testimony
Is the privilege of age
and letters now woven
they are mostly mine,
swimming in air, in-be-tween
self, other, here now
not separate
I pluck, I explore and choose them
and they become tasty nectar on my tongue.
My choice of food
offered usually without
Fear.