Niya

“i do not expect my child’s respect.
just because i have given birth to their life.
does not mean they owe me.
anything.
what i want most
is to look into my child’s eyes
and
see
that i have given birth
to
a
heart.
have
honored.
held and feed.
someones
heart.
from the moment we first met.
and
they love me for it.”
― Nayyirah Waheed

“may you kiss
the wind then turn from it
certain that it will
love your back”
― Lucille Clifton

“you
not wanting me
was
the beginning of me
wanting myself
thank you”
― Nayyirah Waheed

“Nobody can teach me who I am. You can describe parts of me, but who I am - and what I need - is something I have to find out myself.”
― Chinua Achebe