To quirky brown women like me - draft 2

To women who have swallowed their voices long enough
Who have cleared their throats of contradictions
Women who are awkward and quirky

Women like me on the unfunny end of the joke
Women like me who grow like orchid
Crooked and ready
Women who bend

Women who do not fit in or out
Who are brown and magical

Denim women who clean up well in the wash
Who are focused and afraid

To women who hear voices
Women who choose when to obey
Women who see sounds and feel colors

To women who sound like ourselves

Red clay women who are textured and raw

Women who fight and lose
Who get up and fight again

To women who win
To powerful women like me
Who are eyes and travel
Who are wish and bones
Hotel and backwoods and off road

Roar women like me who are whisper and breathy
Water women with intuition and burn
Forehead and fingers
Feet and elbows
Legs and teeth
Body women
Licorice and lovely
Wood and sand
Flame women
Chocolate and all these hues