Poems

The right to be a man

... I have earned that right

this woman

to be right about it

the right to be

being an aroma of the jungle

being the lion

being the backbone

in every kind of disaster

earthquake

hurricane

from A to Z

the closed doors

lead me to the open air

sleeping on concrete

outdoors

without a blanket

inside a shelter

with a blanket

hustling for space in an emergency room

sleeping in a chair

pretending to be

anywhere

earned the right

to a king size four seater set of chairs

with a snore

to awake the jungle

I love all creatures there

but know you all

I have earned and learned

the right to be King, Queen, Governor General

Prime Minister, President

to walk

with or without a car

my clothing

washed in tears

whether or not, not it smells good

me

it comes that way

because

I earned and learned

the way to being

a human

– Helen Ann Wilkinson