a piece by Anzaldua that inspires me

She has this fear
that she has no names
that she has many names
that she doesn't know her names

She has this fear
that she is an image
that comes and goes
clearing and darkening
the fear that she is the dreamwork
inside someone else's skull

She has this fear
that if she takes off her clothes
shoves her brain aside
peels off her skin
that if she drains
the blood vessels 
strips the flesh from the bone
flushes out the marrow

She has this fear
that when she does reach herself
turns around to embrace herself
a lion's or witch's or serpent's head
will turn around swallow her and grin

She has this fear that if she digs into herself
she won't find anyone
that when she gets "there"
she won't find her notches on the trees
the bird will have eaten all the crumbs

She has this fear 
that she won't find the way back


-G. Anzaldua

No comments: