Stars and Stripes

I’ve cried into the soil
And watched the seeds of my tears
Rise into the clouds
I’ve heard the laughter of my ancestors
In the tinkling of wind chimes
I’ve felt their sorrows
In the aches and pains of my joints
After a long day’s journey into never ending night shifts
The hue of my skin has been painted by the sun
With colors that run through my DNA
It is too late in the game
To think I’m unlike you
You may think I’m not of this country
By your bullshit standards
But the sacrifices I’ve made
The sacrifices of the giants in generations past
Whose shoulders I stand on
The giants who seemed so small to you
Show me
That I’ll bleed stars and stripes forever

By Michelle Gordon

Biography:

Michelle Gordon is a New Yorker who loves old school R&B, Jazz, bookstores, black and white movies, and of course writing. Luckily with time and prayers, she will mold her love for writing into a career that best suits her. She is a contributor for Germ Magazine.