HODARI

He names me Hodari
Strong Woman like
the name my mother gave me
Valerie; two of a kind, the
sounds Swahili
and Russian 
fills my mouth with the heavy of them
but I am not strong--
woman, yes---
but not strong
but this is my name
I know it 
and have begun
to roll it around
on my tongue
save it soft
hold it light
listen for it
on the wind
wait for a lover
to whisper it
in my ear
Hodari
Hodari
Your name
will be called
Hodari
Swahili
A strong woman's
name
maybe it's
a conjure word
and I will be
my name
one day
Hodari
Strong
Woman
say it
again

© Valerie Bridgeman
June 2, 2013