Who Is I?

By Naomi Ayala

I be the sun for singing

when you could get up

and have sun for breakfast in the morning.

I in my shoe and I in the corn.

I-eye in my mind.

I in the street and I in the prados

of Mira, ¿qué pasa? and Vente conmigo.

I in my father’s eyes.

In his I’s his mother –

so, so my I that is I who sings

when I pray and cook

when I look for the right thing –

love at the bottom of things.

I – that I am – I am.

I clean. I spirit.

I mender and keeper.

I medicine for my own I.

I – that is eyes – who sees the shadows

and molds light into births.

Ay, Cagüana. Ay, Oyá.

I seer of passing winds.

I voices in the winds

calling I to I-selves.

I magic. Pure, pure magic.

I child that I am.

I word-keeper.

I listener too is I.

I tree. I word tree.

I wind in the tree of your eye.

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