Contentious

“You’ve got a chip on your shoulder.”But it’s not a chipAnd it hardly resideson these shoulders of mine Allow me to elaborateAbout the 36 mile gaping creviceThreatening to unravel“this bridge called my back” scarred territorycovered by the bandagethat is my baggagechartered by the legacy of rageinfracted by transgressions of aggressionimpacted by the violation of my nationcompacted by the collective susto of my genteretracted by the filtered remedios of my youth a part of me grewwary of thetimetried to breakmy spirit whiledivision and derisionthreatenedmy peace innocence marredhaunted substratuma perpetual whyyet soul patched the woundsspotted like the jaguarthat is meclinging to the earthalive and free So excuse mewhile I correctthe misconceptionalignmy spinewith the beautyof my twine finding solacein the swearinglatelyI findmyselfwearing my battle scarswith pride. c/s