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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

Black Voices

Black Voices: 'Catch The Fire, (after Sonia Sanchez)' a poem by Adrianne Embry

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They took something from us you know

Not what you think it is

This ain’t bout our flesh stolen from home, yet it is

This ain’t bout our tongue set ablaze with native language, yet it is

This ain’t bout our freedom, yet it is

We can’t ask them where is our fire when they the one who stole it


Thought they stole it

They all love the idea of black girl magick to an extent

They don’t want no real magick though

They tell you hoodoo be evil when what was evil was the oppression that created the need for it

They vilify us and for so long we have listened


But where is our fire?

I am telling you that it be in the magic

In the presence of our ancestors and deities


Our fire be in the water that fell from the sky

The water that seeps into the earth

This water has fallen onto our ancestors and made its way back to us


They taught us that it was odd to collect water

They taught us that it is evil to kneel at the altar

They filtered our religion out and told us calling on our blood was evil


But once again, what was truly evil?

Do not allow them to tell you the answer to

where is your fire?


They flinch at my tarot cards

They label spirituality insanity

They mock me for standing at the crossroads 

But listen, I am simply embracing that fire


It is in us and it won’t die

It is waiting to be used

So embrace your fire

embrace your fire

embrace your fire


Cuz they thought that they smoldered the flames in us 

and they were wrong

Magic breathes in our blood so ask yourself

where is your fire?


Then harvest it

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