Challenge #3: Poetry

AUTHOR

Myrenna Ogbu

TITLE

"One Hundred Backbones"

PROMPT

Ogbu, a prolific poet, author, and radio host, compares her family's history in this poem to a pillar -- in architecture, a column that supports a building. Through this comparison, she pays tribute to the strength of those who came before her. The poet mentions seeing her mother's image in the mirror and hearing her grandfather's spirit, which reminds her of her duty to build on the sacrifices of her ancestors. She also imagines herself lifting her own children and their descendants onto the "pillar" as well. 

For your challenge, write a poem about the history of your people. You may choose to write about your immediate family, your nationality, your religion, your city of residence, or another group. What would you compare this group to? You may compare it to a construction project (such as a pillar), an activity (such as a sporting event), or anything else that feels appropriate. In addition, Ogbu begins her poem with a question ("How do you start / to build a pillar?") and then devotes the rest of her poem to answering it. Use this framework with your poem as well. 

GUIDELINES

1. 30- to 40-line poem about a group to which you belong.

2. Stanzas of varying length.

3. Begin with a question and then answer it.

TEXT 

The question: How do you start

To build a pillar?

Is it one block, square, felling?

Could it be? Hundreds of angry cries?

Could that be it; or is it one hundred backbones?

One hundred heartbeats?

One hundred footsteps?

One hundred generations?

I have been told by the praise singers.

You need to collect more than one hundred cries

From the trail of the tears. Sift the ocean floor

To release more than one hundred cries.

Remember you stand on the shoulders

Of the elders that set in the circle

To name you.

These pillars form over time.

And too many times in history, Time

Time, Time.

Is not on our side.

I look in the mirror seeing my mother, whose mother,

Mother, mother.

Instilled integrity, love, courage, backbone, survival

And 2oz of anger to help me walk through the concrete jungle

And yet I still stumble.

Into the arms of my elders to lift me higher

Enabling me to lift my children and their children’s children

Onto the higher pillar.

Cause we all need a shoulder to stand on.

As I navigate the turn left,

Don’t park, keep straight,

There is no through way STOP sign

In my concrete jungle.

I hear the spirit of my grandfather

Telling me don’t linger keep going

Till the sun is on your back

Don’t look behind only look forward

For we have only cleared the middle of the road.

So that you can be lifted to your zenith.