Ode to This Body That Fills Itself With Flowers

After Gabriel Ramirez

 

at midnight, my body is all wake.

all moon in tight dress, taking

on the night. I stretch &

all the flowers within

me stretch. I dig

out the weeds from inside

my skin. grow  Corepsis-filled eyes.

correct my body: correct my chin

growing above my back, looking

past      to find which day took my lover

& that love, looking past     to find

why I did this or said that. this

body knows to walk through

fires till the flames learn to

bow. I call myself a butterfly.

unbox. give myself a

hug. wrap myself,     around myself,        around myself.

watch my layers,      wrap around my layers.

see brick,     wrap around brick.

see a rainbow surround itself.

---

The Sacrifice of Praise

 

She wild

fire growing

reaching up

all her reach up

all her do is reach –                         

& pray herself a heaven up there.

---

Akosua Zimba Afiriyie-Hwedie is a Zambian-Ghanaian poet raised in Botswana. She currently lives in New York. She is a Callaloo and Watering Hole fellow as well as a Cave Canem workshop participant. Her work has appeared in The Felt.