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To My Coral Bones
To My Coral Bones - Grace Nichols
To My Coral Bones
Deep
I Cariwoma
have always
carried deep
these islands,
this piece
of Atlantic coastland
inside me.
Sky-deep
Sea-deep
As star is to stone
As tide is to shore
Is just so I hold
these islands
to my coral bones.
And long before
hurricane strike,
some little butterfly,
some little blue messenger
of the soul will ride
the wind to bring
first news to my door.
from Startling the Flying Fish (Virago, 2005), © Grace Nichols 2005, used by permission of the author