Poetry by Aniah Francis

The Voice of Freedom 

    

I often wonder what my voice sounds like, 

How does it feel on your ear, 

Does it touch your soul?

 

“What does my voice sound like to you?” 

 

What does it sound like 

When I expose the depths of who I am? 

What does it sound like in silence?  

 

Silence is deafening 

It is oppressive 

It is the final death. 

 

---

 

Today I’m I met a unicorn 

 

Today I met a unicorn 

And we had a conversation about 

Life. 

She took me on a journey. 

And told me the struggles she had faced 

As life beat her down 

To the triumphs of her taking space  

And owning space. 

 

Today I met a unicorn and 

She poured me into wisdom and the  

secrets of the universe. 

 

Today I met a unicorn and 

By the time the sun had gone down, 

I myself became a unicorn. 

 

 

 Thoughts on these pieces: 

On July 8th I met a unicorn and her name was Chaka. Chaka was a blessing I didn’t know I needed. But on July 8th she came to speak to us interns, through her “The Gift of Black Women: From Ontology to Epistemology to Justice” presentation. But she was also speaking to us Black girls as a Black girl. She poured into us and I, after not writing for over five years felt an outpouring of a stream of consciousness. She gave me so much to think about and the wisdom she imparted to me will guide me throughout these next stages in my life. She is an inspiration and I hope that I could someday have the same impact on the next generation of Black girls as she did on me.  

Thank you, Chaka <3 

 

-Aniah Francis (AAPF Young Scholar)