Inheritance

Our foremothers
Have not left us.
They hover unseen
Both in spirit and in blood.
Their fears and outrage
Live on inside DNA strands
That compel us to strive
For fairness and compassion.
They swept dirt floors
And buried babies
In a legacy of grit
That reminds us
To value life over lifestyle.
When heartbreaks rip us open
They are whispering,
“You are strong
Because you’re made of
Fibers that we spun.
Keep spinning the world,
Little one.
Make it stronger still.”