a friend

and

i,

were talking about

fears

and how they are

there, but

they hold no passport

and

so,

we don’t know

which

body

they

belong to,

forever guessing

their country

of

origin,

questioning

how

they

settled

in

our

neural

pathways.

and,

i said that

i believe

we carry

ancestral memories

in our

dna,

and they too,

have no

body

of origin,

but still,

they

exist

in

my

cells

as this deep love

for rain,

and

the sound of the ocean,

and

the feel of water

on

my

limbs

as

i

metamorphosise

into

a

fluid

being,

unusual

in one born

in

may,

a sign of the earth.

yet,

somehow

there is water

flowing

deep

within

my

bones,

and

i wonder

whose

memories

i carry

within my body,

and

whose

breath

will

one day

carry

my

love

for

the sea.

— ancestors.

© Liezel Graham 2018.

Some days, a poem will just birth itself almost instantly — an opening of the door and a silent entering.

Waiting to be put onto paper.

A dear friend and I, were having a conversation about irrational fears and it started me thinking on irrational loves and how we sometimes love things that are inexplicable when compared to our family. I have always believed that just as we carry genetic disease, we carry ancient memories in our DNA and perhaps this explains our fears and deep loves. xx