My Allegiance

Recently I started facilitating workshops for incarcerated folks in recovery. Every week we learn about a new form of creative writing, read examples, and dive into our own creative pursuits. Last week we read Ada Limón’s A New National Anthem, among other pieces. This one, however, hit home for everyone.

At the end of the class, we sat down and wrote either our own national anthem or allegiance. I wrote an allegiance:

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I pledge allegiance,
to The Great One
who has fed her children
for thousands of years. 

I pledge,
to the gators,
the spanish moss,
in the Louisiana swamps.

I bow
to the Smokey's
mist
& green, green grist.

I pledge allegiance, and pray
to the driest dirt
on earth.
The Mojave Desert. 

I stand on one knee
to the ethereal Oregon Coast.
Close,
to my childhood home.

No man,
only the land
rules
my country. 

Photo of the Smokey Mountains. Taken in 2020 by Sarah Samms Velázquez

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On September 20th, I will be offering a creative writing class as we broach the Fall Equinox. In this offering you will experience mindfulness writing prompts while enjoying a carefully crafted medicinal tea that provokes the creative senses. This generative workshop is targeted towards writers but encourages all tea loving creators to attend. There are 5 spots left.

Last but not least, I received my copies of Nourishing Our Bodies, Nourishing Our Movements Community Cookbook that was put together by Abortion Care Tennessee to fundraise for access to abortion for northern Tennesseans. My recipe, Unnerved Medicinal Tea was featured at the closing of this unique cookbook! To get your copy today, and donate to further abortion access, check out Abortion Care Tennessee.

Please consider donating to families who have been separated by ICE

The Pitas

The Perdomos

Three (anonymous) siblings whose father was detained

The Oliveras

The Cavalcantis

And lastly, the ACLU who are fighting to keep these families together.