From The Ground Up

By Joei-Lynn Adkins

I come from a people who come from the mountains
Highlanders who journeyed across the sea
Bear Clan - torn from ancient lands
Hillbillies hidden off the beaten path

I come from the illiterate, the impoverished, the illegitimate.
proud and private people who
still dig the graves by hand
rarely ever move their residences
speak through their actions, & say few words

I come from a place where
corn grows high in August
snow falls deep in January
there is beauty in each season

I come from a place where
Mother Nature is our matriarch
the stars tell us when to plant
animals are an integral part of life

I come from a place where
the workday is long
breakfast is big
music is a treasure that we share with one another

I come from a place where God sets the rules
and we try to follow them
when we falter, were forgiven

I come from fire, water, earth and sky
carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen

I come from an innate intuition that guides me through this world
and sometimes shows me the splendor of it all.