Silent Sorrow

I want to dance in the arms of my grandfather
To smell the maile that rises from his breath
I want to hear the words that he was forced to swallow
That strangled his soul and buried our song
I want to ease my grandfather’s sorrow

I want to free my father to his heritage
To give honor to the names and the places that have haunted him
Ancestral memories that have sucked the light
Pushing him into the shadows of unspoken shame

I want to understand the ghosts that have caressed my dreams
Growing more insistent with the years
Now frantically tugging me out of my sleepy stupor
Propelling me into my unknown past
With ragged whispers

I want to bless my children with the beauty of their birthright
To weave meaning from the confusion of familial pride
I want to give them the voice of my grandfather
The melody that seeps from their souls
Giving rhythm to the beating of our hearts