“Where Am From” by Chesu Bowa
Poetry Pause is the League of Canadian Poets’ daily poetry dispatch. Read “Where Am From” by Chesu Bowa.
Where Am From
By Chesu Bowa
I am from a black hole
From copper and gold
I am from the home of
royalty
Big, present, the warmth of
the sun’s rays and slave trade
I am from the Victoria Falls,
a raging thunder that’s
thirsty for blood
I’m from Weddings and
Kitchen Parties
From Aunt Patty and Cathy
asking: “when are you
getting married?”
I’m from the bitterness and
jealousy, that has ripped us
apart and caused family
rivalry
From “fat Fatima” and
“stretch marks”
I’m from Pentecostal and
Baptist
I’m from Zambia
From dried fish, sweet
potato, fritters, milk and
beans
From the long lost brother I
will never know because of
infidelity
The dead grandfather who
am named after, and the wooden chair he left crafted
to perfection
Am from a single love letter
that my dad wrote to my
mum when he once showed
true affection
Copyright ยฉ Chesu Bowa
Previously published by Social Media Publication.
Chesu Bowa, originally from Zambia, is a writer and poet whose love for storytelling began at age nine. Writing under the alias CHES, her work is rooted in imagination and lived experience, exploring identity, emotion, and the quiet power of words. She has contributed to various platforms including BuzzFeed Toronto, Maple Life TV, and ByBlacks Magazine, co-hosted the award-winning Dr. Vibe Show, and curates her own writing space dedicated to poetry and life reflections. With an academic foundation in literature, philosophy, and communication, CHES writes to inspire, challenge, and invite readers into stories where thought and feeling meet. A pawnโs play on words.
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